Peter's 8th birthday

To Peter, on your eighth birthday,

You continue to be a joy and delight to your family, as well as a constant source of laughter. This year was the year we moved from Michigan to Kentucky. This year was the year you began to be a homeschooled kid. It was also the year you fully embraced your love of birds, and you enjoy telling people you want to be an ornithologist. Your personal bird ID books is all marked up with the birds you’ve personally seen in the wild. One of my favorite memories with you this year was watching the barn swallows when we were camping at Lincoln Park (Indiana.) Remember how they brought food to the babies, and how the babies would squawk and carry on? Remember how they love to put white feathers in their nests? And remember when those babies got big enough to step out of the nest, and next day when we checked, they were gone?

Your love of nature brings me joy. I love going on walks with you, never fast, and listening to you point out every amazing bird, bug, or critter, and telling me (loudly) everything you know about each one. Sometimes when you need a break from school you ask me if you can “go outside and watch nature.” For your birthday we got you a venus flytrap plant (we only have to wait a month or two to see the seeds hatch. You are so excited!)

We often laugh at the things you say and the way you dress-- why do you pull your pants up so high, and how does your shirt always get so very dirty?  Here are a few of my favorite memories from this past year:

In Michigan, "Mom, it's sunny outside but it's cold. That's Satan tricking us."

“Wow,” I thought, “ this kid REALLY does not like the cold!”

Remember that time when dad was on a health kick and made dinner with fresh cut veggies on a plate, and he demanded every one of you eat a “bell?” As if not calling them bell peppers would trick you!  And there was sighing and fighting and even one puke and we all laughed so hard. And Peter ate three just to show them all. I don’t think daddy will pick that battle again.

Peter: “Hey mom, you know how Eldon and Rainy have double jointed fingers? Well, my butt is double jointed, watch.” *shakes hips like a crazy robot*  (He loves doing this crazy dance to the Weird Al song “white and nerdy.”)

Pete wrestling his brothers yells “get this!”

Marcus says, “peter, it's not get this, it's take that.”

We had a great time celebrating: minute to win it games, ice cream cake, gifts, and even a “family-palooza” on Monday!  

Peter, I’m so glad God put you in this family. May you always rejoice at the works of His hands in nature, and may you continue to grow in faith and love (if you didn’t, that would be lame.)

Happy eighth birthday buddy.

Love, mom