Dear Declan and Evan!! You are 6 and 4!!!

Dearest Declan and Evan!

You are 6 and 4 now!!!! And sorry, getting one letter now days as time is flying!!!
And blogs may not be the norm anymore, but rereading all your old letters I'm glad
I did them because I don't have the memory like your dad. And I know how much
I always love reading letters Grandma Connie wrote me!

 I will question if time is really moving this fast every 8th of June and July! I have felt this before, but

the older you get, it becomes my favorite age.  These ages rule! I am trying not to miss many moments

or take advantage of the 6 weeks I have off with you both this summer (even though there have been a

few strong emotion and fighting moments when I am ready to go back to work!)  We are completing

this bucket list of fun Loving with our Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength!  Both of your favorite activities

include zip-lining between our trees, music, swimming, golfing, biking, park tours, scoot-erring, wrestling

Daddy and having friends over. You both say you don't miss childcare but ask for friends to come over

all the time!  We love our music mornings and today we got to have music here on your actual birthday

with Selah, Hudson, Carrington, Addison and Ms. Kathyrn!

Evan, we just had a special week long celebrating your Birthday too! We were lucky to do it alongside

your god-brother's belated double digit 10th, plus America's birthday, at Fox Hills!  You are (and becoming

more so by the day) such a spunky, silly and sensitive boy! You have your dad's humor and still want to

dress like him everyday.  

We both need to take a lesson from you in not taking golf too serious and just have a good talking to our

golf clubs like you do. I overheard you more than once at lessons this year or Fox Hills, “Golf club… you

put that ball up by the flag!” “Golf club, why did you put the ball over in THAT grass (Long rough)”  

“Golf club, we want to go the the beach” (Aka bunker and then you have fun hitting and raking out of

“the beach”!)

You definitely still are our independent player (of golf or toys),  but especially anytime it is family chore/service

time you go missing and we find you hiding and playing in some room to avoid "work".  The drama of

how tired you are, your hands and legs don't work when it is time to pick up a whole 5 toys really makes

me think you will be quite an actor! You were not always my most cuddly baby and toddler but now you

will curl up for a book, uppies, golf nap or just some mama/daddy time when you need it.  

Declan, your body, brain and boldness continue to grow! I can't feed you enough and as little as your

brother eats, you eat double!  You became a dolphin getting "private" swim lessons (no one else registered

for your class!) and swimming 2x, sometimes 3x, daily at Fox Hills!  My nerves were a little high first few

times with you in deep ends alone no floaties anymore, but you love being underwater diving for toys

just like dad did as a kid! 

 You may claim to "hate" reading sometimes but then disappear to read when you need alone time.  It is

both awesome and bittersweet when brother wants you to read to him before nap instead of me! And you

excitedly hurry to do it to get some Prodigy and Words with friends (aka Grandma and Dad) time!  We

have started Harry Potter and so excited for this phase of reading together... Dad and I will be fighting

over bedtime!

 And you keep trying all the new things that used to scare you! You are bold with sports and swimming and

testing rules and boundaries like never before.  Though I still see myself and the “rule follower” in you,

you want to see what happens when you break them. And I shouldn’t read this part to you (or let you

read this over my shoulder) but your eye rolls and sass are even sophisticated it is hard to not just laugh
.  Dad was proud I actually had a strong tone (ok.. A “yell”) in my voice at super late vaca bedtime when
Ev and you were fighting over beds/Grandma Sue arrangements and my line of "If I hear one more Peep
out of you, back to our room!" And you said it all right, "Peep peep peep!!!"   Oh what a ride we are in for!!!  

I can’t wait to keep learning as your mom and seeing you grow.  And though I read you all of an author’s

letter (Jen Hatmaker… For The Love) to her children, I love the summary of her three big dreams for her

kids and really is all I want for you.

Be Kind

Be You

Be like Jesus

But regardless,my four year old Evan,  You are loved for all that you are, and all that you will become!

And my six year old Duck, we love you through and through, yesterday, today and tomorrow too!

Love, Mom