It's hard to fathom even as I write it, but our baby boy, our first baby born, has been such for six whole years. Watching you become Henry has been one of our greatest joys. Serious and smiley, theatrical and studious, cautious and carefree, the unique workings of our boy took us under a spell from the beginning. As each year has passed we have watched your personality grow into a fuller version of your youngest self. You continue to amaze us in a multitude of ways and our love for you has grown deeper roots.
You are sure of yourself in so many way, and usually quite confident. This year we have watched your love for sports grow as you dove into your first year of T-ball, tried your hand at basketball, your feet at soccer and continued your love of golf and played on the Junior PGA league. Learning to lose is not something you particularly enjoy and though we are trying to help soften your heartaches I'm happy to see that competitive edge inside of you.
Surprisingly you love clothes and get excited for new threads or kicks. You are heavily opinionated on what you wear and for the most part prefer comfy athletic wear over anything else. You love to put together outfits and have even started helping your sister get dressed for special occasions like UK games, or plays you two put on for us.
You've started down the road of great adventure as the world of reading was expanded to chapter books at bedtime. We began reading the Chronicles of Narnia to you and still not a fan of scary characters, you were at times hesitant to continue, afraid the White Witch might somehow win; but we continued through and landed ourselves on the third story, The Voyage of the Dawn treader.
You have really taken a leap in school this year, both academically and socially. You crept out of your shell of shy and are more vocal and playful in the classroom. Memorizing verses and poems each month comes easy to you, math has taken off and become a favorite and watching you turn into a young reader has been incredible. Through sight words and decoding skills you are learning to read books independently and I can't wait to watch your life light up as the doors swing open to new places uncovered through the pages of a good story. You are fascinated by space, history and all things America and will listen intently to documentaries and books on any of the above, soaking facts up like a sponge.
You continue to love music and performing though you have started to let the shy bug creep in when you are unsure of yourself or audience. I love your imagination; it knows no limits and can be inspired by the smallest of things. Costumes and dress up are still your thing but you have expanded to creating your own for yourself and Mallie Lynn.
She watches your every move and tries her hardest to be as much like you as possible. As your little sisters personality has grown you have had a new challenge of learning to get along. Both of you are strong willed which can make things interesting but when the dust settles you are sweet friends. She makes you laugh, your protective over her, and you think she's cute "especially her puffy cheeks". I love watching you divise plans of secret attacks or teaching her how to swing a club, write a letter, and buckle her bike helmet. My favorite exchanges between the two of you happen when you think I'm not looking. You helping her zip her coat, pulling her hair out of her collar, or fixing her bow are all signs to this mama you have deep love for her. 
My biggest hope and prayer for you is that you love and know our God on your own. That the Jesus kind of love you learn about pours from your spirit and that your gifts and talents are used to bring glory to His kingdom. Listening to you pray, watching you wrestle with sin, and hearing your questions, thoughts and concerns of it all have stretched me in so many ways. You have a heart for heaven in ways I've only uncovered in my recent years and it is one of my greatest joys to watch you grow your faith.
I love you sweet boy, through heaven and back. Please never stop your spontaneous hugs, random I love you, and sleeping with that precious blanky!
Happy 6 years of love!
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