4 Years of Pure Joy

Has it really been 4 years already?!?!? Liam has been such a joy in our lives. I still think of the time when he was a new born, how new parenting was and the instant bond I felt with the boy who stole my heart (in a different way then his daddy :). I relate to Liam. I understand the way he thinks and acts. When people take the time to get to know him they all seem to have a soft spot for this amazing little boy. He has a love for life like no one else I know. He is excited about everything and anything. He loves people. He really loves his family. I love watching the way he takes care of his little sister. The other day at the store I watched the two of them walk with their arms around each other. They did it all on their own and walked the whole way like that. I will never forget during the Primary Program at church they invited the nursery kids (Layla) to come up and sing a song. Liam hugged his sister the whole time with such a content smile on his face. She screamed when the song was done and she had to come down. She was crying for her brother. She admires him. I can see why, so do I.
When I think of his third year I will think of:
- Pirates, Pirates and more Pirates
- Backyardagins
- His, I am trying to act like I am sad face
- The way he watches out for his little sister
- His loud voice
- The way he draws (this boy really does have talent)
- The way he loves his Aunties and Grandparents
- How he jumps out of bed every morning bright and early ready to start the day with a smile on his face
- How he loves to talk like a born again Christian. The other day we were walking into church and with a fake smile on his face he said, "There are sure a lot of cars here today. That means we are going to really feel the Holy Spirit!"
- When he might be in trouble he asks, "Do you want me to tell the truth?" and he always does
- The way he has grown to LOVE babies. He is always so drawn to them.

The list could go on and on. I hope Liam will one day understand the amount of love we feel for him and his sister. At one point in my life I would have said I hope to give my kids everything they want, that they may be a super star at the different activities they are a part of. But the longer I parent the more I seem to realize all I want is for him to grow up to be a person who loves our savior and through that love is a true disciple of Christ. I hope he will take the time to think of others long before himself, I hope that he will be a man of integrity, I hope he will be slow to judge and quick to forgive, I hope he will surround himself around good people reaching for the same goals, I hope he wont be consumed with the material things of this world always trying to fit in,  I hope that he will continue to do all of these things he already does so well.  All of those things are characteristics that make him who he is. In Mosiah 3:19 it reads, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." I hope to be like Liam one day. He helps me put my life in perspective. I just hope I can return the love and example he is to me. I sure do have a lot to live up to. We love you Liam more then words can say.

 Yup another Pirate Party...  He had a blast and It was his big day :)