The Bittersweetness of the Birthday of My Precious 6-Year Old

My precious Levi turns six today! To my mommy heart it is bittersweet. Oh so sweet because we have enjoyed him all these 6 years, but slightly bitter because he's growing so fast and I don't know if I am ready for him to grow up. Well, I know I am not ready for that, but I am thankful God gives us these years to drink in every moment and to enjoy these precious children He blesses our lives with. So many mornings, I stand in the shower or sit on the couch and hold out my hands to my Heavenly Father and I give those children to him, Levi being one of them. Oh, I want so much to hold on tightly to them, to never let anything happen to them, to keep them little and mostly innocent forever. But life must come and they must grown, But God is their Father too and He will keep them all the days of their life. He keeps them even now even though He is using me as His servant to watch over them. He is still the keeper of my children. They belong to Him. Oh that is a comforting thought. So in the bitter part of the bittersweet, there is still sweetness because God is leading and guiding these children as they grow and He will be with them, even when I cannot. Oh, what a beautiful God!

Levi is a gift to us from the Lord!!! Such a sweet, kind, fun, silly, tenderhearted little buddy. Ready to give up his seat for someone with out one or help anyone who needs help. Even today on our outing he was the first one to offer to carry the cooler bag when I was having trouble carrying it along with the baby!! He is precious!!! He is doing great in school and is diligent in all his ways. He makes me so proud of him. I love that little guy!!! Thank you Lord for giving him to me 6 years ago, almost right to this very minute. He was born at 2:14 and now it is 2:22. Oh I will never forget seeing that bushy headed little boy so beautiful when I saw him for the first time. I remember smelling his head and thinking how gorgeous he was as the nurses brought him back to me all cleaned up. I remember hearing a long time ago a saying something like, "you never know how much your heart can long until you become a mommy" I remember thinking (not a mother then) that it was a goofy thing to say, because I thought I love a lot and I know the Love of God.

BUT, it is a love unlike a love I had ever known, this mother's love. To look at your child and see this little creature that has come from you. And in my case someone who was formed with my husband who I love like no other. There is not a love like a mother's love...except when you think of a Father's Love. His love is supreme.

I remember the first week I became a mother and I was sitting holding my baby in the back of the church and thinking of how much God must have love me to GIVE HIS SON FOR ME!! What?!! What kind of love is this?!! While a mother's love is unspeakably wonderful, there is One love that is far surpassing. I am thankful to serve and love and know the God that spared not His own Son to save me from my sins and the wretch that I am without Him.

Well, I praise this One Who saved me and has given me life in Him and who put life into my womb. I praise the Lord for Levi Anthony!! It is my deepest prayer that God would save his soul and have mercy on him and that Levi would have a long life to know, honor, glorify and enjoy our Savior, Creator and Father!!!!!!!

Here he is, Levi Anthony, the big 6 year old guy!!! We love you!!!!

The proud parents of the coolest and sweetest 6 year old we know!!!

This morning at breakfast!! I liked this idea!!!

After school time we went to the sprayground.

We had lunch in this beautiful stone gazebo.