5 years ago...

And speaking of celebrating blessings... 5 years ago Ethie-man came into my life!  I couldn't have possibly foreseen all the joy, blessings, challenges, heartache, and miracles that comes with being a mother.  Ethan is such a free-spirited, exuberant, lively little person and he has truly stretched and changed me and given me some of the greatest life experiences.  Sometimes I just watch him in wonder because he is so different from how I see myself.  He is confident, outgoing, aggressive, fearless, friendly, curious--pretty much all the qualities that I have always regretted not having.  But actually, I think he has gotten more from me than I thought.  I have some of that fierceness--it just manifests itself in different ways.  I also struggle with some of the things he struggles with.  Recognizing how Ethie and I are similar has helped me connect with him and want to help him through it all.  He has such wonderful gifts to give and I am so grateful for his loving, compassionate, inquisitive little nature.

One of my favorite things lately about Ethan is that he always has to share the things he loves.  If I give him a treat, he makes sure to get extra to give away to a friend, stranger, or me.  I keep buying him silly bands for special treats and he just keeps giving them all away.  He wants others to be happy and to know that he is their friend and I can see how others are blessed by his fearless giving of himself.  The other day, we were eating at Moe's and a little girl walked in with her dad.  Ethie immediately asked if he could go talk to her.  I would have NEVER done that at 5, or even now!  So James and I looked at each other and said, sure, why not?  So Ethie walks right over and starts a conversation with her while she waited in line.  She looked surprised and shy, but the more he talked, the more comfortable she looked.  He came back to get half of his cookie to give her and I was just so amazed by how normal this whole interaction was for him.  He just loves other people and I love this about him!   

I love you, Ethan, and I'm so glad you are in our lives!  And really, who wouldn't love this little man... :)

He will always be my little Ethie-man!