It’s official. We’ve been talking about “two” all day. In fact, when we came in to wish you a happy birthday this morning, the first thing you said was, “I’m two. I’m not one anymore.” Indeed. You are two, Henry D, and we are loving the chance to celebrate you today and through the weekend!

Truth be told, we love to celebrate you all of the time. You give us much to celebrate! You make us laugh and cry and think twice and raise our eyebrows in disbelief (in a good way). You have so much personality we hardly know where to begin. And yet, somehow being your mama is the most natural thing in the world to me, and we always seem to fall in with one another in just the right way. You keep me in check, little man. I love that about you. You remind me of what’s good, what’s worth celebrating, what’s important to notice in the world. You also remind me when I’m being too much…too busy, too unrealistic, too self-focused, too sad. I know God was intentional in putting us together, and everyday I feel this even more so–deep down into the fabric of everything I am and all that God is calling me to be. I know that God has used you in my world in so many ways I never imagined coming from a two year old. You have a high calling on your life, sweet boy, and I have a feeling that the way you impact my life (our lives) and our family’s lives is only just the beginning. We pray that you will continue to find Jesus “in my heart!” and to pursue Him and Truth and goodness all the days of your life. And we pray that those days would be many and marvelous and overflowing with joy.

Henry, your birthday is the perfect excuse to exude more of what we feel for you all of the time: love, Love, LOVE! The day doesn’t change anything about the way we see you or care for you or marvel at you, except that it reminds us just how much time we’ve been blessed to share breath with you on this earth, and just how greatly you’ve impacted us and been used by God in such a miraculously short span of days. Two years is not long in the grand scheme. But it happens to be the amount of time that’s passed since everything got more colorful and became more beautiful to me.

Thank you for being the little person that you are. Thanks for saying things like, “Like a Boss!” and “Fro-Yo,” and “Dr. Seuss will help me!” (Ask me someday…) Thanks for snuggling up to me and cuddling the baby growing in my tummy and for always being so sensitive to how everyone around you is doing, feeling, acting, living. You heighten my awareness to all of the good, and cause in me an intentionality that I would likely never know otherwise. Man, kiddo, you bring out the very best good in all of us! I know I don’t get it right sometimes as your mama, but I sure do appreciate the grace you extend to me anyway. And the trust. And the unwavering, unblemished, unconditional love you show to me and your daddy, and even the dog. You are pure of heart, Henry. I pray that that part of you will never change.

Someday when you read this, know that we were wishing you the absolute greatest of birthdays today, but more than that, that we consider you one of the very, very, very best gifts in our lives. We are celebrating with full and thankful hearts, and we can’t wait to do so even more this weekend, with more of the people you love (and who love you!) surrounding our little family. Here’s to MINI Coopers and Froggy’s cheeseburgers, to a bagel and “dip” at JP’s, to Tip Toes trips and coloring together at the dining room table. To racing Matchbox cars and chasing Kruger around the house…and to every other thing that has made this day remarkable and normal and celebratory and beautiful to me. I love you with every ounce of my heart, little one.

still remembering that very first day two years ago, and how I knew then that life would always be better because of you. happy, happy second birthday, bug!

your mama