Michael is Seven!

Michael James Grace! You are Seven! You are electric, almost visibly buzzing with energy. Everything you do and say is extra. You love life and adventure and it shows and is contagious to everyone around you. Some days I feel like I have my own little power source when you are near me. You are a flow of energy and laughter and love. I ADORE YOU.

Your sixth year of life was full of fun even though COVID was in full force! We had so much quality time as a family, just the four of us. We went on hikes and took many road trips. This is when we found our beautiful lakehouse at Smith Mountain Lake! You love the lake and our new house and just having someplace new to go to and explore, especially during a pandemic when there was so little new and exciting happening!

You love your daddy so much. The two of you are kindred spirits, always excited about doing something new whether it be learning how to play Lacrosse or learning how to play one of the many new card/board games Daddy got for you.

You and your sister got even closer during your sixth and eighth years! More time just as a family! It kind of reminded me of when we were in Australia and we only had each other and I would always remind you guys “be kind, you are best friends!” (AKA, only friends!) 🙂

We did get to see friends and family but it was always with caution (and outside!) to make sure everyone was protected who might be at risk. I am so grateful this part of your life is (hopefully) over! It was so hard for you to understand that you couldn’t hug your grandparents! We just had to do lots of extra hugging between our small family. 🙂

You are so talented. You love to beatbox and sing, and have become a prolific and talented creator of art. You love being in second grade! You go to CHESSIE co-op and ACTS co-op with your sister. You make amazing artwork in Great Words Of Art and you love learning about Geography in your World Geography class. Your favorite class at ACTS is PE! You and I read books together every day, it’s one of my most special and cherished times with you. You are such a good reader!!

You also are amazing at math, which you did not get from me! I am so proud of you for loving math and enjoying math! Your math teacher Dr. Lois has transformed this area for you and your sister!

You are my early riser and have always been. I can count on you to come down the hall when I’m about half-way done sipping my coffee and I love knowing you are coming to sit with me. We read and talk and revel in the fact that we are up before anyone, like we are in on a little secret, just the two of us.

You are a bright and intense light in my life, Michael James Grace. I adore everything about you. I’m so grateful God chose me to be your Mommy. I am the luckiest Mommy in the world!

What a wonderful year!! And then it was time for you to turn seven! We invited two of our favorite people, David and Caitlin, and had a blast! We had pizza and sundaes and dug gems out of rocks!

Then it was time for your family birthday party and dinner. You chose Vivace because you love pasta and bread! Grandpop came with us!

We love you so much, our big seven-year-old! I pray your seventh year of life exceeds even your hopes and dreams! Which says a lot, because you have BIG hopes and dreams!