5 And Counting
James is 5 today!It seems like yesterday...a couple of months ago, tops...that Lisa and I pulled into the parking lot at St. Agnes Hospital and spent the most tiring, amazing, joyful, tearful hours of our lives together. When we left, there were three of us. To quote Ray Kinsella, "He smelled funny but we liked him anyway."
These days, James is growing by leaps and bounds. This weekend we went back to Pump It Up for another birthday party. The last time we went, all James did was throw plastic balls through a hole. No bouncing, no obstacle course, and the big slide was right out. This time he did it all. It took some convincing and a couple of bribes but we sailed down that big slide together and he u-turned right back up the stairs.
The kid absolutely cracks us up. His buddy, Benjamin, teaches him songs
and new phrases every day at preschool and they never fail to make us laugh. His latest is the little dance he does to "I Like To Move It" from Madagascar. There's a lot of finger pointing and twisting around and it can go for a very long time. He did it in Blockbuster a couple of nights ago and Lisa reports that an older lady in the same aisle was reduced to tears.James has been trying lately, as 5-year-olds are wont to do, to see how much he can get away with and whether we truly mean what we say. Sometimes that makes the days seem long, but when we look in on him before heading off to bed and see his perfect, quiet face it's all worthwhile. Saturday is our very first tee-ball game and we've talked a great deal about listening to the coach and trying your best. Not knowing how he'll do is just another wonderful side of being a dad.
On Saturday night, our Goddaughter, Hannah, was baptized by her father, Jim, one of my best friends. I watched her go under with James standing right in between us. I wondered (as I do every time I rinse his hair in the bathtub) what it will be like on that day when I get to take his confession and bury his old self with Christ. We want so much for him...to be healthy, to know God, to have a happy life. God blesses us through James every day. I couldn't be any prouder of him.
Happy birthday, bud.
posted by Thurman8er @ 12:21 PM
2 Comments:
I remember bringing dinner over (and enjoying it with you) on his second night home. Remembering that evening is making me feel all szwglew.
Happy birthday, James!
Joyeux Anniversaire! Yes, the fun and challenges of being a parent…
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