Kaden is 6 years old!

I love 6. It is a great age to be at.. And when you are a boy who loves trains, dinosaurs, sharks and spiderman, there is no limit to the fun you can have. Kaden is a kindergartener with a love of learning, a passion to know everything he can about his favorite animals and a spark for life that is contagious. He longs to please his parents and has so many serious and curious questions about God. "Are there tarantulas in heaven? June Bugs? Spiders? " and
"Why did God even make poisonous snakes and spiders anyway?" So many questions..so many times I just want to say "Go ask your Dad." But, Kaden wants to know now...needs to know now-so that he can move on to the next questions he wants answers to.

Isaac after a big day birthday party celebrations!

Right up there with diesel engines, Kaden loves his family. He misses Tyler and prays each day that he would return from Kenya (or Tanzania or Uganda) so that his big brother can make him laugh some more. He loves Isaac and climbs into his crib to share his newest happy meal toy with his baby brother. He worries about Isaac's health but is certain that Isaac talks to him when they play together. He believes that Isaac is a gift from God and can't understand why Isaac can't come on the bus to kindergarten along with him.

Kaden loves his Daddy. From baby on, Kaden was a Daddy's boy. He loves to go to the car wash with Dad. He loves to go anywhere with him... He loves to be just like Daddy and that is okay with me. Come to think of it, he already is alot like his Dad--kind, hard working, compassionate and heart filled with love for God.

Kaden loves school and his teacher, Mrs. Davis. We do too. She sees the sweet, incredibly tender side of him and wants the best for him as we do. She also sees when he needs some help and helps him to work through his anxieties, because Kaden gets worried about things six year olds shouldn't have to worry about.
What a year this has been for Kaden. An amazing year filled with so much growth, so much learning and so much joy.

 Today, we celebrate the life that he has been given--a life journey that has the power to impact so many people. Abandoned at birth, but never, ever abandoned by God. Adopted twice--once, by our family, but more importantly, adopted by God. Today, we celebrate the joy that he has found and the joy that he has brought with him to our family.

Kaden is 6 years old today. He has waited and waited for this day in typical little boy fashion. "How many more days til my birthday?" "Is it May yet?" "Whose birthday is next? Is it mine?" And I know that starting tomorrow, those questions will start up again...until one day when my little boy has grown beyond this stage.  I don't want to miss the wonder and excitement that these early years hold. And so, tomorrow, I will tell him that there are only 364 more days to wait....until his next birthday..

We love you with all of our hearts, sweet son! Happy Birthday, Kaden Mark!