Sweet littlest boy-
Happy third birthday, Tito!! You’ve been reminding us all day “its still my birthday!” and you have LOVED being celebrated. Which is perfect, because we certainly LOVE celebrating you.
That’s kind of a theme for you these, days. You LOVE people and they LOVE you. You are well loved by all of your siblings, your parents, you cousins, your grandparents and extended family, your teachers at school and church, on and on. Almost always just about anyone on that list would give you just about anything you asked for. One day you mentioned to your teacher at school that you would like to have sprinkle donuts for a snack instead of whatever was being served. If you friends were very intuitive they would have all thanked you the next day when the class feasted on your request being fulfilled by your sweet teacher. Yep, you’ve got us all hooked.
Maybe no one dotes on you more than your big sister, though. Some days I think she could pretty well take over this parenting gig and you would let her. You love to be consoled by her, to snuggle and read with her and just BE with her. And laugh with her.
We all love to laugh with you. Your antics keep us feeling like we have our own personal comedian living in our home. I about died the day I picked you up from school and the teacher told me when she asked you where you were going on your trip that weekend you answered “I don’t know. Nobody tells me any-fing.” You most certainly did know, but you just prefer the dramatic response.
You also L-O-V-E any and every kind of truck right now. You love your collection of Tonka trucks at your Nonna’s house and thanks to very generous aunts, uncles and grandparents you are accumulating quite a collection in our playroom, too. I can’t tell you how much its changed my persepctive in the midst of the ever present construction in our area because every time I pass a truck working I smile and think about how much you’d love to sit and watch.
Persepective shifts have really been a part of what you’ve meant for me from the very beginning. Three years and nine months ago there was not an ounce of me that anticipated you as part of our family. But three years and nine months later there is not one single ounce of me that can imagine it any other way. You, my boy, are part of us. Such a very important part. I can’t tell you how many times I watch you play or laugh or talk and simply marvel at how good God is to give such sweet and unexpected gifts.
Your very very favorite story of any kind is David and Goliath. Which would make me sound like an awesome mom until others find out that you really love Goliath. He’s big, he’s mean and he has a sword. I’m not sure why, but to you that has made him cool. We are working on it. Lately when we talk about the story you will say “Goliath fell smack on his face. And David WINS because he was on GOD’s team”. Progress. We’ve talked about how people thought David couldn’t do much because he was small. As the youngest of 7, and one always running to catch up, I have a feeling you know a bit about how he felt. And I’m thankful you love the story of David so much because David wasn’t perfect, but he did BIG things with God. Just like you. You are little now, and will always be the youngest on our team, but you already do BIG things. Like helping shift my perspectives.
We found out about you coming to our family just days after your cousins left our home in 2011. They are living with us again right now which means there are good days and hard days. I’ll tell you what, though. Because of the timing of when God brought you to our family, my perspective has changed. Everyday- just by being yourself- you remind me that God always ALWAYS walks with us. He’s always on our team. Always knows what we need. Always gives good gifts. Always fights with us and for us. He didn’t leave us then and He most certainly won’t now. That testimony is preaching loudly now, even before you can speak it from your own tongue, so don’t let anyone ever tell you that you are too young or too little for ANYTHING when you choose God’s team. Through God bringing you to us, you’ve helped change my perspective and you’ve helped shape it each day.
That’s my prayer for you this year. May you grow to know and love the power of being on GOD’s team in such a way that those you are around will be drawn to it. May you live in a way that helps shift people’s perspective from dark to light, from pain to joy and always toward Truth. You, my son, are not too little for that!
I’m so proud to be your on your team!
Happy third birthday, my little David.
I love YOU!
Momma
