Our Awesome Little Guy Is 2 Today!

How can it be?!  The time has flown by.  What's that saying?  The days are long but the years are short...?  It couldn't be more true.  And sometimes, even the DAYS seem short.

Two years ago this morning, at 9:39am, this little guy finally graced us with his presence after 40 hours of labor.  He has been worth every minute of it. :)  (What's that phenomenon where moms forget how horrible their labor was?  Mothers' amnesia?  Yeah.  I have that.  But can you blame me?  I mean, LOOK AT THIS KID! He overwhelms my heart with his cuteness. :) )

Today, in honor of Isaac's 2nd birthday, I wanted to write a list of things that Stan and I adore about him.  So... without further ado..... (I did have Stan's help in making this list.)

25 Reasons Why

We Love You, Isaac!

(And just some things about you that we think are cool. :) )

1. You point out and verbally identify every known object in a room immediately upon entering.
2. You say hi to virtually everyone you see when we go out in public.  And if they don't respond, you say it again.  And again.
3. You love fountains.  And water in general.
4. You love to jump, especially with Daddy.
5. You adore (and can name) backhoes, tractors, cranes, steamrollers, and bulldozers....and react with GREAT fervor upon noticing any of these.  You also make GREAT construction vehicle noises.
6. Your curls are irresistible.
7. Your big smile and bright eyes melt our hearts.
8. You dance (a.k.a. wiggle) and swing your right arm like you're having a hoedown.  Oh my goodness, it is SO CUTE.
9. We love how curious you are, how you love to explore.
10. You love animals.... especially crocodiles (dah-dile!).
11. You are fascinated by hats.  No matter who's wearing them.
12. You pronounce dinosaur "tight-o-for!"
13. You say "Hi!  Hi!  Hoy!  Hoooooy!" in a progressively lower and lower voice.  
14.  You call me Mommy... (Be still my heart.)
15. You love to sneak upstairs and visit Daddy while he's working.  I think he secretly loves being interrupted by you. :)
16. You are learning your first Bible verse (Joshua 1:9) and you fill in all the big words for me while I say     it... like, "strong, courageous, terrified, discouraged, etc."
17. You get so excited to lay down with your "blankie" on your pillow... most of the time. :)
18. You like to sing "we are, we are... the youth of the nation!"
19. Actually, you randomly burst into several different songs periodically.  I love it!
20. You recently started count to.... not 10... but 12.  Random!  So cool!
21. You love to read books with us and verbally identify things like "windjammer, yacht, canoe, parachute, hot air balloon, steam engine, hopper car, caboose....."
22. You love your buddies Ella and Fredrick and ask to play with them every. single. day.
23. You are learning to "obey quickly" and talk to Mommy and Daddy with an "honoring voice."
24. You are bonding with other adults who are in our lives regularly.  We LOVE this.
25. Your favorite Bible stories right now are: "Jesus Is Alive!" "Jesus Heals the Little Girl," and "Jesus Calms the Storm."  (You like the storm story because you love how we make the sounds of the wind and waves and thunder and rain. :) )  

Isaac, we absolutely love being your Mommy and Daddy.  Your name means "laughter" and you have brought so much of that into our lives.  We are so thankful that God gave you to us to steward for Him.  And we are aware that our job is just that: stewardship.  May we be faithful to shepherd your heart well.

A prayer for you:

Father... thank you so much for our sweet Isaac.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to partner with You to shepherd and shape his precious little heart.  God, draw His heart to Yourself even now.  Would you reveal to him Your love and Your delight over Him?  Would you make Your nearness and Your protection tangible to him?  I ask you to begin to cultivate within his heart even now a deep trust in You and a desire to obey You....  and more than anything I ask that he would have an undeniably REAL friendship with You, Jesus, even from this young age.  Capture and captivate his heart now, and in the years to come.

Happy birthday, buddy!
 We love you so much!
Love, Mommy and Daddy