Today is July 4th...not only the day of the USA's birthday (which, by the way, is NOT celebrated in Canada...go figure!:)...we got off for Canada Day on July 1st though!) but it is also one month since Titus celebrated his 6th birthday and I figured it was about time I documented his special day and the days following!
Titus turned 6 on June 4th and we celebrated with Papa, Grandma and Uncle Andrew. He was so excited about his cinnamon roll cake (no...we did not let him eat the whole thing) and even more excited about his trip to Olive Garden for lunch with just Papa, Uncle Andrew and Daddy! He, too, wanted a hockey cake and I was running out of ideas! Ding-dongs came to the rescue and made the perfect "Hockey Puck Cupcakes"!!!
Titus,
You continue to light up the room and my life with your smiles, contagious giggles and the funny things you say on almost a daily basis! Life is not dull with you and you bring so much laughter into our home! I am continually blown away with your determination and how you are not easily swayed from doing what you want to do...even if it is the opposite of what all your other siblings want to do. You may be one of the youngest, but God has certainly given you the character qualities of a leader. I pray that God would mold you and make you into a servant leader who leads others to the foot of the cross.
I also wouldn't be surprised if you end up being a lawyer. Your creativity when it comes to solving problems or trying to get what you want is second to none in our house...and, I'll be honest, I am a little concerned as to what that is going to look like in school this coming year...because 2 +2 will always equal 4 no matter what you might say to the contrary!:)
Your love for all things "costume" continues to give dad and I many shared smiles. Your imagination is fantastic...but it seems to be closely linked to having a costume to go with it! The closet is full of pilot gear, fire fighter apparel, police accessories, catcher's wear, hockey equipment and, your latest, a full set of plastic armor so that you can, in your own words, "really be like Narnia".
Dear Titus, you have such a winsome personality...may the Lord use you to "win" others into His family...but, above all, may you use your gifts, your leadership, your sense of adventure, your imagination and your determination to passionately pursue a love relationship with Jesus above all and may He do great things in and through you as you humbly submit your will to His perfect one!
Love you, my dear tater-tot!
Mom
Birthday number two came the very next day! My dad celebrated his...well, lets just say it was more than his sixth :)...birthday with us! It was so wonderful to have my parents with us...and so hard to believe that less than two months before that my dad was laying on a hospital bed. Unfortunately, he over-did it playing mini-golf a couple of days before his birthday so he wasn't feeling quite as well as he did the first day he came to visit us...but we had a great time celebrating with a good part of the gang..including my brothers Paul, Andrew and David and my sister-in-law, Michelle. My dad has been doing an AMAZING job counting every calorie, fat gram, carb...and who knows what else...that he eats, so it was a very special treat for him to enjoy his Boston Cream Pie on his birthday! I sit here, still, rejoicing that God saw fit to give my dad another birthday and that we got to share that day together!
Little Caleb celebrated his very first birthday in the Pichura home on June 10th! My youngest is officially 5 years old! Boy...I remember when I had 4 little ones all UNDER the age of 5 and now our youngest is 5...life truly is a vapor! Caleb enjoyed a breakfast donut with Daddy and came home to a decorated house! He wore his birthday hat with giggles and really liked his "monkey cake" (although I must admit it looked more like a cross between a bear and a giraffe! Does the effort count for anything?!:)). He asked for "berbere" for dinner (an Ethiopian spice) and I did the best I could by making homemade spaghetti sauce with berbere in it. He was a little disappointed that there was no injera (flat "bread")but was quick to say "that's okay, mom"!
Dear Caleb,
As we celebrate your first birthday in the Pichura Family it's hard for me to believe that you have been here with us for almost a year. You have grown so much this past year, my little bean! Gone is much of the complaining and whining that used to be so very much a part of you...and, in it's place, the fruit of "self control" and "joy" are growing! You learned the little phrase "all the way, right away, with a happy heart" your first month home and have added so many new phrases to it ever since! One of my favorites is when you say, "thanks for encouraging me" when you are instructed!
Caleb, YOU encourage my heart so many times by your thoughtful words. You always seem to notice any "changes" in mommy and encourage me about them. "Mom, I like your toes". "Mom, that is a pretty shirt". "Mom, I like your hair". You noticed when no one else did and you "steal" a little bit more of my heart each time! I love the way your Ethiopian "accent" still comes through in different words that you say and no one else is quite as adorable talking about the names of hockey players as you are! And, I LOVE your singing! If I want to know where you are I usually just have to listen for singing! God has gifted you with a BEAUTIFUL voice...and I can't wait to see how He will use it to glorify Himself! You have filled our home with much sweet music...keep singing to Jesus and about Jesus!
We are still learning about you...what you like and don't like...what makes you happy and what makes you sad. We are still learning to love and you are still learning to believe that we really do love you with all our hearts. Most of all, though, I pray that you believe with all of your heart the deep love that God has for you...a love that sent Jesus to die in your place to pay the price of your sin. Caleb, your middle name is Moses' and I pray that you follow in both Caleb and Mose's footsteps...as they courageously followed the Lord though everything seemed against them!
I love you, my little bean, and thank God for you each and every one of your 5 years of life!
love,
Mom
And...just so you can see how adorable my littlest son is...here is "O, Canada" (on the 4th of July!:))
Comments
I too remember when you had four kids under five. You're right, life truly does fly by. You are a great mom and a wonderful inspiration to me and many others. Have fun with all your celebrations :)
I absolutely LOVE your mother's heart Kristin. Thank you for being so bold and loving and open in sharing it with us. My mother's heart joins you in rejoicing with each and every milestone and moment as our children grow and become more and more the person God desires them to be!
Oh and GREAT singing there Caleb!
Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!
Your singing was terrific, but Mom needs to teach you the first stanza to the song that first brought you to the land of the free and the home of the brave. In case Mom forgot the lyrics, it begins ... "Oh say can you see by the dawns early light. What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming." I'll be sure to teach you the rest of the National Anthem when we see you soon. I think you'll sell more copies on You Tube, too.
Love Papa!
The Fourth of July is up there with Christmas and Thanksgiving for me!!! I think I would have to cry... ha ha
Okay so props to you on those adorable cakes sister! And what you shared about each child is just precious and TRUE! Oh and your dad has really slimmed down!! So glad to hear he's getting up and around and that God has indeed blessed him with another birthday! Love you!
miss you guys!
thank goodness for blogs, at least!!
(and I agree w/ a previous comment: Your Dad DOES look great! Looks like he's slimmed down---which as we all know is not an easy thing to do... Good for him!!!--and great for that heart!
:0)