June 6

Today our Joshua turns 10 years old. Ten years old!! How can that be? We're in the double digits now and over half way to "adulthood." Impossible.....

Josh is such a neat kid. He is a thinker and a question ask-er. He likes to be in the know about things, and remembers most of it. Though he is not fond of math, he still has such an 'engineer' mind. He can imagine, draw and build complex things. He is interested in how things work too. I haven't seen it yet, but was thrilled when I learned he found an old lawn mower in a junk pile and dismantled it. Maybe someday he'll put it back together.... It would be nice if he could get it running since ours is broken. ;)

Josh also loves history, science and reading. He is like his Daddy when it comes to reading random information. If either of them are sitting at a table eating and there is something there with words on it, they are reading it. Cereal box, paper, junk mail, camera manual.......anything! Soaking in information to be filed away.

Josh is a great big brother to Andrew and Nathan. Though he can be a bit bossy at times, he loves them fiercely. They are his best friends and I love that.

I recently had the unfortunate opportunity to witness Josh's raw emotions in grief when his kitten was killed by a stray dog right in front of his eyes. It was both heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. What I mean by that is, yes, it was heartbreaking to see him so sad and to know what he had witnessed, but at the same time, it was beautiful to see the deep care he had for the life of that little kitten.

This year was the year Josh made his profession of faith public and was baptized. He is like me in that, he has a very quiet faith. He doesn't talk about it a lot, but you can tell it is there and he exudes a sweet spirit.

I haven't recently done an official height check, but Josh is quite tall next to kids his age, and some even older. He is up to my shoulder and wears a size 7 to 7 and a half (men's) shoe. I'm not prepared to look him in the eye and then soon be looking up at him. That's going to feel really weird...

For now, I want to try as best I can to be in the moment....for time is flashing by.

Happy 10th Birthday Joshua!! We love you SO very much. Keep growing and learning about all kinds of things, but most of all grow and learn all about the LOVE of God!

Be full of love for others, following the example of Christ who loved you and gave himself to God as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, for Christ's love for you was like a sweet perfume.  -Ephesians 5:2