Happy Birthday, Will!

Happy 10th Birthday, Will!  What a year, what a year, what a year!! Just think, a year ago you were living in one house, then we moved to another, then another!  And, yet, you have found something positive in each new home quickly and have already settled in to our current one.

In the past 12 months, you had many new experiences.  Perhaps your favorite was joining Boy Scouts with Dom.

 We were so proud of all you accomplished with your troop and that you earned your Parvuli Dei Award in time to have Fr. Linn pin you on.

You also got to help build the epic Lego Millenium Falcon.  (not ours)

At some point, you read a passage about World War I, and you proceeded to learn as much as you could about it.  Culminating with a visit to the National World War I Museum in Kansas City with your dad and favorite cousin, Peter. (No offense to all other cousins, but if you saw these two together, you'd understand)

Last August, you thoroughly enjoyed the 97% eclipse of the sun in Millbrook, and only mentioned how cool it would be to see a total eclipse about...1 million times.  I'm sorry!  I messed up! We'll make better plans in 2024.

We have also moved on from Uno and Go Fish to way better card games like...Cribbage and Yahtzee.  And you even beat me!

We moved about 150 miles north of our home in Florida...and you finally got to use your Ravenclaw scarf when it got down to a frigid 59 degrees in October.

You dressed as two wizards for Halloween.

In the last few weeks you have taken an interest in cakes architecture since watching "Nailed It" on Netflix...granted that maybe started a few months earlier in Religious Ed:

You spent quality time with uncles that appreciate how unique you are, and I loved watching you interact with them.

You helped John learn his numbers by doing dot to dots with him.

And none of the kids were as excited by the snow as you.  Despite not having good winter gear, you stayed outside as long as possible to soak it all in (get it? His shoes, socks, and feet were soaked).  And got the bonus of having two snowfalls in Alabama...something the region had not experienced in a long, long time.

You have played countless games of Axis and Allies...sometimes with others...sometimes by yourself.

You are quite a fun kid to be around.  And love a good joke.

Or science project!

You are the one I can count on to try and smile on cue without complaint. 

I love how varied your interests are.  One day it is Legos, another it is reading a new series (LOTR, Percy Jackson, Horrible Histories, The Mysterious Benedict Society are just a few you have read in he last calendar year), another day it is baking cakes, another it is planting seeds (his pumpkin survived the move from Alabama and is thriving.  Bloomed in time for his birthday, in fact!), yet another day it is exploring nature, another it is building the Eiffel tower...and the list could go on and on, but I need to go to a different paragraph now.

Last May you crossed over to Arrow of Light and said good bye to your troop.  You don't get emotional often, but saying goodbye to your troop leader was hard.  And you had to say good bye to many new friends...but, handled it so well.

Luckily, you like your siblings pretty well, and they will be by your side through all the moves in our future.  (The above picture is perhaps his second favorite cousin, Benjamin....No offense to all other cousins, but he'd be your 1st or 2nd favorite cousin, too).

I loved the insight Will showed in the paragraph he wrote on Dom.  "It feels like everything goes his way, even though lots of stuff doesn't."  Will is very good at putting perspective on situations.  He works extra hard to keep his emotions from clouding his reason and it is a marvel to watch.  Granted, it might help if he didn't interrupt as people were explaining their reasoning.  But, he is only 10, we have time to help him with that.

Will was particularly interested in our Nailed It Challenge.  And was also very complimentary of the outcome.  And Will is nothing but honest, so his compliments mean that much more!

Happy Birthday, William Thomas!  We are so thankful for your life!  I love that you get so excited about a new discovery you can't wait to tell us every little detail about it.  These new discoveries have included Harry Potter (natch), Minecraft, Zelda, new bike routes, and Axis and Allies winning strategies.

I love that you are always thinking.  I can't always keep up...probably because I am always thinking and you drag me out of my head.  But, I hope you know I will always want to eventually hear about what you have been thinking about...just maybe when I'm not trying to come up with dinner plans or grocery lists or paying bills or writing your birthday post.

I love that you draw on your own experiences to have genuine sympathy for others.  This morning I saw it on your face and heard it in your voice as you helped me with my cut finger.  We are now sliced fingers buddies! (Totally a thing)

I love how much you love your siblings.  You spend hours working on Legos with Dominic by your side (or go along with his hair brained scheme of riding the loop three times like a real Tour de France stage), you go into lands of fantasy with Molly (between you and me, it is one of my favorite experiences to listen in on your stories and adventures...you and Molly made the trip up to DC very entertaining and joyful as you played with the Mario stuffies in the back seat...at least it was when you kept the noise level down), and you take care of John and help him to stay out of trouble (see previous paragraph about genuine sympathy).

You are one dynamite guy and the more we get to know you, the prouder we are to call you our son.  Keep your curiosity and strong work ethic.  I can count on you to do the chore right the first time (as long as you don't get distracted...) and all parents appreciate that!

We love you to Pluto and Back and are looking forward to the day we get to spend with you doing your favorite things.  My biggest wish is that the only two words you think when we eat your birthday cake is: Nailed It!

Love,
Mom