Our Birthday Boy!

We had a very exciting day here today. My middle son turned seven years old! To say he was excited, would be a HUGE understatement. He was bouncing all over the place & giggling most of the day (and the day before!). It was so fun to watch.

My amazing MIL made his cake yet again. I bought the pan & she bakes & decorates the cakes. This is "Thomas the Tank Engine." Yes, we know Thomas is the #1 engine, but N was turning seven. She always puts the number of the birthday boy on the cake. She makes two of these a year - one for N & one for J.

Blowing out the candles - check out those cheeks!

I think this face says it all, but the one below is pretty fun too.

Big brother kept "helping" N open his presents. He finally had to go stand far away - next to Dad.

It's hard to believe that N turned seven. The time just has sped by. I still remember the year he was born so well. When I was about eight months pregnant with N my hubby & I began discussing the possibility of me staying home with the children. God truly worked in our hearts and we were both thinking about it & realizing what it would all mean long before we discussed it together. The most amazing part? We had just bought our first home 18 months prior to this. It was a great place. We both loved it a lot. However, we knew that there would be no way for us to afford the mortgage payment on it if I was no longer working. This would mean we would have to sell this dream home. Neither of us regretted that decision & jumped head-long in to.

I was due on Easter that year (April 16th). We listed our house in January and put it completely in the Lord's hands. We had lots of showings. However, we need that "perfect" buyer. We really did not want to close on the house until the end of June/beginning of July. That would mark two years in the house & help us avoid having to pay capital gains taxes.

A young couple came through & decided to buy it. They were both still in college & not yet married. They were moving to Maine in July for a job offer after they graduated and were married. They could not close until the first week in July. God is good. We signed the sale papers on a Monday in April. N arrived that Friday.

We then had three months to find a new place. That didn't go as well, but through it all we knew God's hands were on us & we eventually landed right where he wanted us.

Every time I think of N's birth, I remember all of this. He will never have memories of that "dream home" as he was three months old exactly the day we moved out. However, he has so many other wonderful memories, I pray, of me staying home to care for him.

N is such a loving boy. He is starting to really blossom. He continually thinks of others. Sometimes I stand in amazement of his giving heart. Every month at AWANA they have "store" night. They clubbers earn "AWANA bucks" from being the winning team during game time and saying their sections. I know for at least the last 2-3 times N has had store he has bought items specifically for other people. I have often asked him why to be sure other children aren't telling him he has to do this, but he just shrugs his shoulders and says it's because he wants to.

I know that God has an amazing plan for this little boy & I can't wait to see how it all turns out.