Happy Birthday, Johnny!! You are eight years old now...finally!! You've been waiting for a long time for this birthday. :)
This has been another great year of growth for you, Johnny. You continue to be an exceptional student. First grade didn't pose too many challenges for you, so you invested your energy into Spanish. You were intimidated by having to speak Spanish full time with Snr. Mora, but turns out (just like everything else) you took to it quite naturally! You're loving being able to converse more in Spanish, and often try to get the girls to speak Spanish at home by saying "No Ingles! No Ingles!" It drives them nuts. :) You have also continued to learn and love math and science. You absolutely love learning, and I absolutely love watching you get excited when you learn new things! I believe your love of learning will be a huge blessing to you in your life.
You have continued to grow socially, making new friends and deepening your friendships with your existing friends. You are always at the center of the organized games during recesses, and whenever we go anywhere there's always a kid that says, "Hi John!" Basically, what I'm trying to say is that you're super popular. :) We talk often about how to righteously use that influence, and your intelligence, and your good looks for the purposes the Lord has set out for you. It's my biggest fear for you...that you'll breathe in all those compliments and all that adoration and let it go to your head. Right now, you seem to understand. You are kind and inclusive, and I know you're a positive influence on your peers. And that makes this Mama's heart very happy!
You've very much increased in your passion for sports. Particularly football, though you really enjoyed playing basketball and soccer this year. We can't wait to get you on the football field this coming fall for flag football! It's been a fun way for your Dad and you to bond, play together, and have things to talk about. You two have found another way to bond this year when you went on High Adventure together! You hiked a total of 25 miles in and out with your Dad and the priests in our ward, and you did amazing!! You carried your pack most of the time, and loved living in nature for a couple of days. Dad said you fell asleep before your head hit your little camping pillow both nights. :) Your favorite part? Pooping in the woods, of course! With your love of hiking and the outdoors, there will likely be a lot more backpacking trips for you in your future. Dad took you and Sophie on an overnighter before the end of the season and you both loved it, and you liked having Sophie's company. Which is awesome, considering how much the two of you fight!
This year has been an opportunity for you to learn more about your place in our family, and how to navigate your relationships with each of us. You fight a lot with Claire and Sophie, but I know you love them deeply. You miss them terribly whenever you aren't all together. But I know it's hard for you, not having a counter part like they do in each other. You miss Luke, and we miss watching the two of you grow up together. Gratefully, you have Joey around to drive you crazy just like a little brother ought to. He definitely tries your patience! But I wish I could find the words to convey the happiness and fullness in my heart when I see the two of you playing and wrestling on the tramp or playing with cars. Even with the years between you, you two are going to be the best of buds.
Like I mentioned, you and your Dad have had some fun opportunities to bond through the year and your relationship really has grown. You and I have pretty much stuck to our normal day to day interactions. Sometimes, things have been a little tense as you're trying to figure out how to manage your frustrations with life and other complex and uncomfortable emotions. Unfortunately, I don't handle that part of you with very much patience. I'm sorry about that! Luckily, we have that special mother-son relationship and it's never very long before we've made things right and are happy again. I love that special bond between us!
I would have to say your biggest area of growth this year has been spiritually. You've taken the call to prepare yourself for baptism very seriously. You continue to love the Book of Mormon, and never show any hesitation when it's time to gather and read as a family. And I'm always marveling at your retention!! Your primary teachers tell me how funny it is to see you not only answer their questions during class, but proceed to finish teaching the lesson! I know I've said it every single year, but it's even more true this year: I know the Lord has a great work for you to do! You are a mighty spirit John, and I know you sense that about yourself. I can't wait to see how you mature spiritually with your baptism and the companionship of the Holy Ghost in your life!
Johnny, I can't tell you all the ways I love you or all the things you do that make us so proud. You are a gift to me, Son! I love you more than all the words in the universe could say, and I'm so excited to see how you grow this next year. Happy Birthday, John-Boy!
Love,
Mom
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