Nate is Eight!

Happy Eighth Birthday Nathanael David!

I have been trying to write this post for a few days now. I can't seem to get into my photo program to download new pictures from the camera, so I couldn't post an actual birthday picture of Nate.
I can't believe my baby is eight years old already (he has been for a whole week). It really does feel like he should be turning three or four at the oldest. I don't know where the days have all gone. He is at that age now, kind of stuck between being a little boy and a big boy. He is sweet and innocent (not from a theological view :) just that he still has a child's heart and mind) and loves toys and little kid stuff, but he is learning so much about God and this creation of His. He is growing so tall, all his size seven pants are becoming floods on him. And of course he has several "big people" teeth now.

We had a nice party for him with some of his friends, his brothers and sister and his cousin. He wanted a hot-wheels theme, so we had plates, and cups and decorations with racecars, a really cool blue race-car pinata just filled with candy! and a fun game of "pin the race-car on the track" game. We played a few rounds of "hot potatoe" and made individual pizzas. We had vanilla race car cake (the first vanilla request from Nate- he usually choses chocolate and last year chose orange cake-that took some thought!) He recieved some wonderful gifts and had a great time. It was his first party with friends and I think he will remember it, just like Joel remembers his.

I will never forget the night Nate was born. It was the night that I became a Mommy. It was cold and clear and we were way out in the country at a midwifery center. It was just Joel and I and the midwives there. After a good hard, but only seven hour labor Nate was born at 8:58. He was seven pounds twelve ounces. It was peaceful. I remember leaving at about 1:30 am to go home (they only keep women four hours) and feeling like we were kidnapping him or something. We were so hungry we stopped at a Wawa and bought juice and donuts before going to our home. I stayed in the truck with Nate while Joel went in, and I thought, "I bet no-one in the store had a night like ours. I bet they don't even know we have a four hour old baby in here (bundled up so much-his whole body fit in the torso part of the snowsuit, the legs were empty!). At home in the wee hours of the morning Joel gave Nathanael his first diaper change. It was that black nasty stuff and I have a precious memory of an hours old Daddy using about 12 wipes on a very small tooshie. It is one of my favorite memories of Nate and Joel. He has always been a very tender and affectionate Daddy .

Nate has brought so much joy to our lives, just like his four younger siblings. I can't imagine my life without the blessing of loving this little boy. I do hate to see him get too big so fast, but it is so neat to watch him grow in wisdom and stature and in his knowledge and love of our saviour. Just tonight he stood in the hall way and read the 23rd Psalm off the print I have hanging there outside their bathroom, then he started to sing that newer Matt Redman song, "Oh No, You'll never let go" (I don't know the real title) and all the other boys joined in, even Elijah was clapping and bouncing around. I can't imagine doing anything else with my life.
Thank you God for my husband, and our marriage and blessing us with these five wonderful blessings we call Nate, Jeremiah, Rachael, Benny and Elijah. Use them Lord, for your glory! God, may they do big things for you one day.