Day 208 A Celebration of a Little Life

August 2, 2015

Day 208

A little boy entered our life last summer and our lives will never be the same. Theodore James Saunders is a significant individual. Today we celebrate his first year of life. This guy has been proactively processing from day one. You can see it in his eyes. You sense he wants to be part of every conversation, he wants to move the way we move, he wants to put things on fast forward. We marvel at his emotional alertness and his physical abilities and his clear, persistent determination.

His little sturdy legs have allowed him to move two weeks shy of nine months. This is exactly how he wants to roll; clear, direct and purposeful. His Aunty Kathryn forced him into walking, she knew he wanted it and she forced him into a relentless practice routine. It is old hat now, he goes wherever he wants. One of his projects that he can now attend to is investigating the pot of soil that is in the living room. He knows that if he digs down far enough he will find "it!" What "it" is, is to be defined, but he is sure "it" is something. 

Every uncle and aunt of Theo's, on his mommy's side, has initiated a relationship with this little guy. He reaches out with his persistent, searching arm that seeks for them when they are in the room. He knows they love him from a place that is full and overflowing. He is not a snuggler, there is too much to see, to process, to learn. He must hold himself straight and alert. He might miss something if he lets down his guard.  And for this, he might not be able to forgive himself.

He has been talking for a while with definite, firm sounds. He thinks we understand him. We don't. However, we listen and respond as if we do. He must have the last word. He lives amongst "Last worders" and so there is much going back and forth until we finally all give up in exhaustion. 

Like all of us in his family, he is a mixture of introvert and extrovert. The obvious energy he derives from people tips the scale to extrovert. You bring him to a party and there is no "gearing up", there is no processing as he enters the landscape with alacrity. And when it is all said and done, he does not leave an emotional mess. Instead, he leaves wondering why he would be removed from such joy.

His smiles are dreamy yet he is cautious and careful about giving them. He is not testing the waters, he is just simply not a fool. He rushes nowhere. He will more than likely have a witty dry sense of humor that catches you off guard. Oh, what fun to look forward to this day.

He loves to repurpose and reorganzie and when in the Coffee Gazebo he does just that. He is the lucky one to have for a Grampy who loves little children. Lynn always allowed his own children to be right beside him. I never once heard my man shoo any of our children away.

Theo, happy birthday. Much has been given to you little guy and therefore much will be expected! I desire for you to know your Creator intimately. For you to rush into the Word. For you to purposefully seek time with Jesus everyday. I desire for you to see what you have been given as a gift to help you give glory to Jesus with such freedom. I pray that you will help to set spiritual captives free. You have been given excellent parents who are not pretentious, this will enable you to live authentically in an authentic home! Blessings, my little man!