And today is the actual day. I did get a bit teary-eyed last night before bed, allowing myself a few moments to remember the first time I held that handsome baby in my arms. He's now an independent and fairly responsible 8-year-old boy, too tall now to be my armrest. It's amazing really how much changes is eight years.
I won't be posting our birthday letter publicly anymore as we want to be sure to give Nathanael more privacy as he's maturing, but here are a few paragraphs from this year's letter:
Dear Nathanael,
Welcome to age eight! You are exactly who God wants you to be today, and we celebrate you today as you have reached this new age of eight. It is just another day, but it is an opportunity for Dad and me to take some time and write to you about the last year and the ways you have grown and changed...
...This has been a year of great learning and exploring. This past year, you completed your first semester of piano lessons, even gave a mini concert for Grandpa and Grandma when they visited. You began and completed your first semester-long swim lessons at Amalienbad, and you advanced to the next class which swims in the deep pool. You even jumped off the diving board for your first time last week! You were involved in the Alterlaa Lions Fußball training club with Bemitha and Derik for a few months, and you discovered and became interested in field hockey. You and Dad visited an indoor climbing and rope's course facility, and you absolutely loved the challenge of the high rope's course. Your love of the Motorik Park at Hauptbahnhof remains, and we are quite impressed with your abilities there! During school breaks, you attended events at the Center for Architecture, loving every single thing related to Architecture. Gerlinde introduced you to the Technical Museum, which you've visited multiple times now with various friends and family. You have attended two different science lab events, learning about fire and air, to name a few. You've visited an organic farm in Oberlaa, baking your own bread rolls from the grains there.
This year you have also naturally continued to enjoy and grow in areas of interest. You love to ride your bike and have gone on bike rides with both Dad and Mom and as a family! You are usually so patient to wait on your sister or on Dad and Mom when we're running with you, and you have even ridden to school and back a few times. Your love for being active and being outdoors remains. You've even gone on multiple hikes alone with Dad in the Wienerwald. We love spending time exploring the zoo on school holidays, our favorite parts being the little jaunts in the forests. Last summer, you and Dad and Eva discovered berry picking in the Wienerberg, and you were so excited to share the joy with Mom and Auntie Carrie as well. Of course, Side and the beach and pools and sand is always a notable family activity, although you decided two weeks of sunscreen twice daily was too much for you this time! :)
Reading has gone from something you do well and somewhat enjoy to something you absolutely love, whether in English or German! We often have to remind you to let yourself sleep when you're staying up too long reading. You voluntarily read multiple pages of the chapter books we read you at night. You love reading yourself and love being read to, especially before bed and during your special Skype times with Opa and Oma and Grandpa and Grandma. Your current favorite book sets are The Boxcar Children, Encyclopedia Brown, Einfach Max, Fünf Freunde, und Little House on the Prairie. It is a beautiful gift, reading. Continue to enjoy it!
Your interest in the Bible, learning more and understanding more, has continued to grow. You regularly read various children's Bibles and tell us about what you've read. We discovered the DVDs What's in the Bible with Buck Denver last year, and it is amazing what you learn and retain from those creative shows. Your love of music continues, especially singing your favorite worship songs from church or the songs we listen to at home, or even writing your own songs! This last Christmas, while visiting Uncle Andrew, Auntie Angie, and Desmond, you really took to Angie's Ukulele and worked hard to prepare a mini-concert for us with a song you'd learned at school.
A few other memorable experiences I'd love to make sure we note in this letter: watching Cars 3 together as a family in the theater, our GEM-Austria retreat at the JUFA Neutal and how much fun you had with the kids, GEM Annual Conference in Slovenia and the incredible kids' program and new friends, signing up for a summer youth camp through church and working hard to improve in your independence around the house with chores and responsibilities, and simply being an awesome big brother who loves his sister and still picks her up and gives her great big brother hugs when she's not getting on your nerves. ;)
Nathanael, we see God in you in the way you love people and draw people together in community. Thank you for showing us God's great heart for all people. We are so thankful for you, are gift from God. We know He will continue to work in your life to make you into the person He has created you to be. We are excited to continue to walk this journey with you. We love you, son. Happy Birthday!
Party pictures to follow in the next week or so. ;)
