JAMES HENRY, SOMETHING SPECIAL AT 7

I told James today that 7 is my favorite number, and he just smiled his calm and knowing smile.

Our boy is growing up. He has very definite and defined opinions, personality quirks, likes and dislikes, thoughts and questions, interests, abilities, concerns and worries, preferences, talents and skills, things he knows, things he thinks he knows, and things he needs to work on. There is far too much that makes up James at this age to try to successfully put into words... 

The best of him? His love (what he gives, and what he gladly receives and always needs), his trust (he gets braver every year, and while we know some things are hard for him, he gives us the benefit of the doubt and is willing to try new things as long as we promise to help and stay by his side), his ability to forgive and always see the best in others (his friends, his sister, his parents - he is SO GOOD to all of us). His compassion (I'm so thankful he hasn't outgrown this - he has always been one of the most compassionate children I know). His intelligence and curiosity (don't ever doubt him for a second - he knows and understands more than you think he does, and if he doesn't, you can bet he'll ask around until he figures it out). His joy in the simple things (riding bikes with mama, wrestling with daddy, playing on the swing with Cora, just sitting and reading books - just ask him, and he'll tell you what he loves to do with each of us). He still needs (a lot of) help focusing and following directions, but honestly, if that's the worst he ever gets in trouble for at school?... We are working towards a solution for that anyway, as best as we can. 

He is 7, and he is growing up, but he is still little. He's in First Grade. Lower Elementary. He's young and has a lot to learn, and has a long way to go to mature, and that's ok. He is amazing in so many ways, and his (spiritual and intellectual) growth this year has impressed his father and I beyond expectation (and we expect a lot from our kids - perhaps too much, sometimes). He is bigger (48" tall and 53.5 lbs) and stronger. Yet he still has all his baby teeth (though as Gramma pointed out to us, his face is changing and his jaw is growing - those baby teeth have spaces between them for the first time ever). The years certainly don't slow down, but how can we complain when our son is growing into such an incredible person?

He is our beautiful boy, our day dreamer, our sweet and snuggly little guy. He is funny and witty and silly, and filled with a drive to discover his world. James makes each day brighter for the rest of us just by being present. He is truly a gift!