Happy 7 and 1/3 birthday!

Hi Luke,

You turned seven years old a few months ago, and I'm just now getting around to writing to you about it. But you're 7 and 1/3 years old now, and because of your love for math, you know what that means! Grandpa showed you fractions recently and you really seemed to understand. 

Everything has been so busy and strange over the last few months because of the Coronavirus. I wonder how much of this you will remember when you get older: leaving school for Spring Break not knowing you wouldn't return, finishing your school work remotely, spending so much time indoors, wearing masks. It's been nice to have more family time than usual, but it has certainly been a challenge. 

So, what are you like as a seven-year-old? There's so much to say, but here are a few highlights:

• You love LEGOS and Star Wars. We just watched Empire Strikes Back for the first time last weekend on Father's Day and you were thrilled. We recently made a savings plan that included extra chores so you could save up for a LEGO set (ice cream shop). You were so excited when you finally earned enough ($13) and could open up the box!
• You play Imagine Math Facts nearly every day, usually after your shower in the evening. It's a computer game that teaches you multiplication, division, subtraction, and addition through a series of adventures. When you pass a level, you triumphantly yell, 'YES!!'
• You're thinking big thoughts. In the evenings before bed, you raise many questions about inventions, space, growing up, adulthood, careers, and even the origins of life. I love seeing your mind wrestle with the deep questions of life, and I look forward to many similar conversations in the years ahead.
• Even though you and Nora argue about little things, you really do love and care about each other, and enjoy spending time together. I love watching you two play.
• You have a kind heart. 
• You're reading chapter books by yourself. Right now you're working through a series of books on various historical figures (King Tut, Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, Jesse Owens, etc.)
• You're musically gifted. When you sing or hum along with a song, it's always on pitch. Also, you will tap your hands along with very complex rhythms - without even realizing it. I think there's a chance you may pick up the drums one day.  

I have very clear memories of being seven. After first grade my family moved from Pleasant Hill, CA to Webster, NY. I remember how strange it was, because people had different accents and it snowed heavily in the winter. I know that you will also have very clear memories of this stage of life, and sometimes I wonder what you will remember. More than any specific recollection, I hope you can recall in later years just how loved you are. We are so proud of you, Luke! 

Love,

Daddy

A Unique Season

Dear Luke and Nora,

These last few months have been unique to say the least. While we were in Keller over Spring Break, we learned that school would be cancelled for the following week, Spring Break part 2. We came back home and everything started to shut down because of "the coronavirus". Although the revelation happened in stages, you ended up not returning to school for the remaining of the academic year. We couldn't go to church, playgrounds, restaurants, shopping malls, and couldn't see friends or family... A strange season indeed!

Even though it has been a hard season for many reasons, it has been very memorable and full of quality time as well. You were disappointed to not return to school, but you adapted so well. Luke, you had zoom calls with your class and engaged in lots of learning activities online. Nora, your teachers sent YouTube videos covering your material, alongside lots of worksheets. Luke, you spent hours and hours playing with legos and we played lots and lots of Scrabble. Nora, you painted and colored and enjoyed lots of imaginative play. We rode bikes all over the neighborhood, in the Bentley parking lot, and went for jogs (with you on your bike, Luke, and Nora, you in the stroller) at Spring Lake. We took your training wheels off at the beginning of our quarantine and you learned quickly to ride without them, Luke. We enjoyed many, many picnics in the front yard while listening to the Boxcar Children. We watched a movie most weekends and had special pancake breakfasts on Saturday or Sunday mornings. We ventured to the beach a couple times and Nora, you got comfortable with the waves and ended up loving them! We took walks to the mailbox and made an outing of handling the trash and recycling. We played with chalk and bubbles and had Easter egg hunts around the backyard. You dusted the baseboards and mopped the floors, and unloaded the dishwasher almost daily.

I am sad about what we missed these last few months, but I am so thankful for all the togetherness and growth we've had. It's been a joy to listen to you two laugh and play when you're getting along well together. I know you will eventually return to school and a busier way of life, which has already started in some ways. I am really going to miss aspects of these days, because I am really going to miss YOU!

Love,
Mommy

7 Years

Dear Luke,

Today we celebrated your 7th birthday party! It couldn't have been a more beautiful day and you had lots of fun running around with your friends, eating veggie straws and donuts, and opening your presents. The one sad part of the party was when your 7 balloons flew away and you cried, saying, "It isn't a party without balloons." But your friends came over to cheer you up and you were fine when we decided it was time for donuts.

It's been a fun birthday week for us! Daddy took you and Nora shopping for my birthday on Monday and he said you were both very interested in picking out some earrings and necklaces for me, since I love jewelry. You were very sweet on my birthday and when I asked if you wanted to give me 37 hugs, you said, "I want to give you all the hugs I have to give."

I'm grateful your birthday was this week because last week you missed 3 days of school and were pretty miserable. You hardly ate for 2 days and just wanted to lay on the couch, watching TV or listening to audio books. We tried playing Sequence at one point, but then you said you weren't really up for it and got back on the couch. When I got back to the car after taking Nora to preschool on Tuesday you said, "Finally we get some time together, just you and me. That doesn't happen very often." It was so sweet that you were feeling that way and I am thankful I got to be the one to take care of you when you were sick.

On your birthday we looked at pictures from your first days as a newborn. It was so fun to reminisce and think back to those early days. To think it used to just be Daddy and me! You've added so much to our lives and our home and I can't imagine it without you. We love you!

Love,
Mommy