Happy Birthday Connor

At 12:13 p.m., Christmas Eve 2002, our lives were forever changed as this little bundle joined our family.

Like any mom, I’ve spent the day reflecting on that day 6 years ago, reflecting on the boy he is, and dreaming of what his future holds.  I remember so vividly the long 18 hours in the hospital leading up to his birth.  I remember the joy as we first saw him, and then the fear as we realized he was struggling to breathe.  I remember his little cleft chin, just like his daddy’s.  And I remember that he peed on the nurses and we all laughed, but it was nervous laughter because we could all see his chest retracting with each and every breath he took.  It was overwhelming, numbing almost, to hold my new baby for less than a minute and then have him whisked off the NICU.  I remember praying, pleading with God to make him better, but at the same time knowing with complete faith that he was going to be fine.  He had so many people praying over him for those 4 days in the hospital, those 4 days that at the time felt like an eternity, but in retrospect went by in a flash.  Just like the last 6 years have gone by.  Six years old?  How is that even possible?!

I am so incredibly proud of the ways he is growing.  I love his tender heart, his creative spirit, his boundless energy, his passion, the way he is so particular about everything and is confident in his likes and dislikes.  I love the way he is expressing himself more and more with his words and less and less with his hands.  I love the way his love for Jesus is growing, the way his mind works, his endless questions about everything and anything.  I love that he never gets bored because there is just too much going on in that little mind of his.  I love how sweet he is to Camryn and how Logan is fast becoming one of his favorite people to play with.

Connor, as we go into this next year of your life, always remember this:

“He will not let your foot slip-
he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you-
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm-
he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore. ”
–Psalm 121:3-8

Happy Birthday, my sweet boy!