Ho, ho, holy moly what happened to 2014! I just wrote you guys and here we are again. We must be having a blast because time is moving at warp speed. Addie is sleeping in a big girl bed, Josiah is in kindergarten, Cassia has solved the gas price problem and Elena Kay turns 10 this month!!! (Note to self: buy gun.) Time apparently has no hold over Jenny as people still think she is high school. Meanwhile half of my beard is white.
Speaking of white beard, the North Pole has reached out to me to fill in as Santa Claus as I have most of the qualifications: jolly, beard color, belly like a bowl full of jelly … more like donuts.
With the kids growing up fast Jenny and I are often torn between seeing them mature and become responsible humans and us wanting them to be itty, bitty babies. Our main concern with child rearing is being able to see them successfully drink milk in a “big cup” i.e. no sippy cup.
Rowan Child: Can I have some milk?
Me: How about I just go ahead and pour it directly on the carpet now to save everyone the suspense.
There has to be some undiscovered force of nature that compels children to knock their cup of milk on to the floor. David was probably 7 when he wrote Psalm 23 … my cup runneth over … and Jesse is assuredly frustrated at my lack of motor skills.
No really, the kids are great. Everyone says we’re the best parents on planet earth and that’s probably the truth. Humility is the key. I say everyone — we’re still waiting on the survey results to come in from Siberia.
Anyway, Addie is not really a baby anymore. So that just leaves me. She likes to get your attention if you’re in her general vicinity. Oddly enough she loves to sing “Let It Go.” For real. Please let it go. Josiah loves school and racked up all the awards in the first quarterly ceremony. His teacher says he knows the class routine better than her. Cassia is really good at sneaking into Elena Kay’s bed at night. She still likes to cuddle and has an affinity for Uncle Leroy. Boys like her but she hasn’t got the time of day for them. Neither do I. EK ran for class vice president (she lost but I have a congressional oversight committee looking into it), she sang front line at Kid’s Take Over at church and she’s been recognized for her essay writing and artwork. So all the usual first born child stuff.
We’ve been in Va Beach for 9 years now. That’s insane. And we’ve been running a connect/small/cell group for about 8 years. We started out as the only couple with a kid now the kids outnumber the adults by a wide margin. Children … the future of the world … just not real good with cups of milk.
Let’s see what else … the Redskins are a hot mess but that’s not news.
I’m so blessed. Blessed with an astounding wife. Blessed with lots of children. Blessed with a job. Blessed with a home, food, clothing. Blessed to know you. Blessed by my Savior. God has been reminding me that it’s all about love. Whatever you have learned throughout life about God, make sure you have grasped this: He is passionately, obsessively, overtly in love with you. Nothing we can do can change that. That truth is hard to fathom, but it’s truth nonetheless. The more we rest in the reality of God’s love for us, the more freedom we have to be exactly who He created us to be. Our Father always looks at us with rose colored glasses — tinted by the blood of his Son. He sees royalty when he looks at us. Do you see it?
Have a blessed Christmas and an amazing 2015!
Love … The Rowans.
Beautifully written. You have a lovely family and I wish all of you a very merry Christmas!