Dear Emry,

 

Today you are 6 years old. 

 

Looking back over the past year, I have tried to decide what has been your biggest area of growth. Certainly you have gotten literally taller: tall enough to ride the waterslide at the water park. Your knowledge has grown. Reading is slowly becoming easier and your math skills always amaze me. Your retention of the things you learn is also excellent. Which is why we have an ant farm after learning about ants in science, you want to visit the Statue of Liberty and Washington, D.C. after learning some of the icons of America, and you can tell me all about different kinds of clouds. But I think what I have loved the most about watching you grow this past year is how you have learned about yourself and the way God has made you.

 

A year ago if you got upset it was an uphill battle to settle you down. You didn’t know how to calm yourself and you would upset yourself over and over again about the same thing. I struggled to know how to help you, and I still do at times; but when you discovered drawing…well, that has been a blessing all around. 

 

When I was a little older than you, I discovered books. To this day, curling up to read a book will calm all my fears, anger, and frustrations – if only for a moment. Drawing does that for you. I don’t know if you will ever be a brilliant artist. And I don’t know if you will ever stop leaving papers and markers scattered all over your room. But I do know when you are upset, you have learned to disappear to your room, pick up paper and markers, and draw until whatever it is that is bothering you no longer matters. And I am so grateful God has given you something to enjoy.

 

I am also grateful how much God has taught you about Himself and His Word this past year. I love hearing you recite your Bible verses, and the excitement you have at church, and the questions you ask I sometimes I have to stop to think about before I can answer. How I pray God will save your little heart!

 

This year God also gave you one of your greatest desires: a little sister! I think you have learned that having a sister as little as Ellyson isn’t as quite as much fun as you thought (yet) and she can sometimes be a pest…but you do love her and you are a good sister to her. She loves when you play with her, and she especially loves sharing a room with you. Already she wants to giggle and chatter instead of sleep – something sisters do like no one else!

 

And you are also a good sister to Ethan, who looks up to you and adores you. While you can be a bit bossy (but I guess what big sister isn’t), you play well with him. You encourage him when he doesn’t think he can do something. And you don’t mind when he sits down and works on his “school” while you do yours. When you are not around, Ethan is truly bereft. You’re his best friend.

 

This past year has also been a year of lots of new experiences. Despite “the sickness” (as you call Covid…and hopefully won’t remember much), you have gotten to join the youngest dance team at your dance studio – the b-Boppers. And how excited you were today to have your first competition on your birthday! You played soccer for the first time. You slept over at a friend’s house. And you can ride your bike without training wheels. You’re finishing up first grade. You help me more and more in the kitchen. And you’re on your way to being a very good little swimmer.

 

I love how you are friendly with everyone. You are not shy about going up to any girls on the playground, introducing yourself, asking their names, and then asking if you can with them. I love the instruction manuals you have drawn this past year: Steps to Crawling for Ellyson and How to Build a Light Tower for Ethan’s Magnatiles. You have even re-created a playground out of wooden blocks. Future Landscape Architect? Future Engineer? Whatever you do, as long as love God, it won’t matter.

 

But don’t grow up too soon. Enjoy being six! 

 

Love,

Mama