Dear Soren,

Happy belated birthday.  The cliche of expressing the fact I can't believe you're one already seems, well, cliche.  But I have to admit that the whirlwind of joy you bring to every waking hour has gone by in an instant and yet, time before you seems distant.  Your dad and I couldn't be prouder of who you are and who change into every day.  Watching you learn, explore, try new things, fail and try again is inspiring and makes me want to move forward with the same fearless tenacity, please never lose that.




Ever since you were born people have said you are big boy, and it's true, you're the size of a two-year old.  But, I think that more than size, you have a big personality.  You love to read, to hear words, to talk and sing and mimic and interrupt.  Coming from parents with big voices, we promise to our best never to deter you from knowing that voice is important, loved and part of what makes you who you are.  I do, however, hope we also teach you to listen, to know that the words of others are important as well.  I hope you are known as a good listener because listening well is a tell-tale sign of someone who is practiced at patience, compassion, kindness, gentleness, peace, goodness and self-control.



You love to run and more often than not your eyes are faster than your feet.  I hope you love the journey more than the destination and at the same time I hope you have big goals and run toward them with all your might.  I hope that you use your abilities to run forward and not simply away.  I can tell you that running away will never bring you peace, only the clear and consistent perspective that no matter how hard you run, the thing you run from will always be right behind you, and sometimes, two steps in front.  So run well, finish the race faithfully and in all of it, run humbly.

 

You love to laugh, hold dear to that because without the ability to laugh through life the pressure of a broken world would be just too much.  But be careful with your humor, use it to build and not break down.  Use it to express who you are not to mask your insecurities.  And be careful not to confuse topical humor with cynicism because cynicism will steal your joy and if your dad and I could describe you and your presence as one thing it would joyful.



You love to love.  You give kisses and cuddle and hug and smile and flirt and give looks that put Carey Grant to shame.  You are handsome and I hope and pray you find someone some day who sees you for more than your beautiful eyes but for the soul that lies deep inside them.  I hope you learn to be careful with your hugs and kisses, that you don't spend them freely but rather see them as valuable.  I promise the more of them you save for the person who gets your forever kisses the happier you will be, and she will be too.



I hope above all hopes that you will always know how loved you are, by me, by your dad, by your family and by your Creator who humbles us every day by the fact that he gave you to us.  You are a greater gift than I could have ever understood and I am honored to walk through this life with you.

I hope all these things because you are proof hope is a real thing, a hope of good things, better things and all things new.



I love you more and more every day and I can't wait to see what this next year brings.

Love,
Mommy

The week before Kristin & Kyle's wedding was about the most perfect week the Pacific Northwest could ask for in the fall.  And as the next week unfolded the forecast of wind and rain started to come to an apex around Saturday it seemed inevitable that the plans for parks and warm fall pictures was waning.  With a lot of couple's that kind of forecast would dampen their entire day but it was as if no 40 mph winds could faze these two.  I truly believed that had he been given the chance, Kyle would have shouted to the sky to give him all it had because no matter what at the end of the day he was marrying the girl he loved more powerfully than the gale that assaulted western Washington that day.

And then, just like that, they said I do and as if to welcome them to a love that was as big as the sky, the clouds parted and the sun set over the Pacific just for them.  So it was fitting that their first dance was to Adele singing "When the rain is blowing in your face... I would offer you a warm embrace, to make you feel my love."





























Fate totally ordered this ferry boat right on time.








Congratulations you two!  I hope that Mexico is brilliant!