ET, why we love you...

My love for my children is beyond anything I could actually put into writing, but each year that my boy's celebrate a birthday I have tried to put those feeling in words.

ET our love for you is completely immeasurable, and unconditional.  It is a love that I feel emotionally, but at times even physically.  You are so important to us.  My wish for you, is that someday you find happiness, and learn just how great that love is.  The love I have for you has helped me better understand the love that the Lord has for us.  It has rooted me even deeper in my faith, love, and devotion for our family as a whole.  ET, you bring me joy every day when you enter the room.  Your presence is what keeps me going.  Your Dad and I love you with our whole hearts!

We love because...

• Your smile!  That dimple is something so special!
• Your boyish nature.  You absolutely love bugs, and will go after them with your bare hands.  Just today, you had five giant beetles just hanging out in the palm of your hand!  
• Your competitive edge.  This is something that I often have to get after you on, and remind you of your manners; however, we know this will take you far in life.  You are always striving to be the fastest, smartest, strongest, and the best at everything you do.  I absolutely love seeing this type of motivation that is just innate with you.  If you see something you like, you go after it and you don't like to lose.  It will be our job to teach you that it is okay to lose, without squelching your motivation.  You most recently have taken a huge interest in muscles.  You have been trying your hardest everyday to work your muscles while doing pull-ups on the monkey bars. :)  You just also recently joined the wee-tee baseball league.  You definitely did not sit on the sidelines and let the other boys take over.  You were so proud of yourself, as were we.
• We love your laugh!  You still have that Daffy Duck laugh when we really get you going.  You also still find the word "duty" very humorous.
• We love your energy and your love for the outdoors.  Now that it is summer time, you are asking "When can we go outside?" the moment you wake in the morning.
• We love how smart you are!  Everything we teach you seems to click so easily.  You have learned to read over the last year!
• We love to see your faith in God continue to grow.  You started saying your own prayer at night periodically.  I am just amazed at how easy these prayers roll off your tongue.  You sound so natural and comfortable speaking to God.  I pray that God continues to be your light in life.  Just a couple nights ago you prayed..."God, thank you for this wonderful day, and thank you for making me the way that I am."  My biggest wish for you is that you are content with what you have and who you chose to be in life.  I pray you always feel this way!
• We love to see your love for music continue to grow as well.  Your singing is one of the sweetest sounds on Earth!  You will be starting private piano lessons in just a couple weeks!
• We love your questions!  You are so intuitive, and really have shown a great deal of growth through the questions you have asked over the last year.
• We love your sensitivity.  You look after your family, just as much as we look after you.

Thank you for making our days sweeter than we ever imagined!
We love you,
Mom and Dad