A Birthday Prayer

Dear Isaac,

Even when you’re asleep, I keep you close to me. Literally, right now I have the monitor next to me at my desk. There’s a gently falling rain where I can watch the drops scatter the puddles. A few birds hop around our yard in search of worms and I’m typing away at the computer in search of words.

Through the black and white monitor I see your crib silhouetted in light. There’s a pile of blankets next to you and you’re chattering away. If you were here next to me you’d tell me they were airplanes, not blankets. And rocket ships, cars, and trucks.

I hear your voice, ”the rocket ships go flying, watch out!”

You scrunch the blankets into balls and you wrap them around your arms and fingers. You move the piles around in the crib. Hunched on your legs, surrounded by blankets, you’re creating your own world.

“There you go truck, down this green track.
The cars are going to pick up donuts.
There you go car.”

It’s the same scene every night before you fall asleep and every morning when you wake - your mind bringing into existence a world of adventure. “Don’t take my blankets,” you tell me each night before I put you to bed. These blankets are your gateway for creativity.

On your 3rd birthday it’s my wish for you, Isaac, that you’ll continue to follow your imagination. I can’t wait to see what you dream up and create. I pray you’ll always be able to see what’s in front of you and imagine a world of possibility, a world full of beauty, joy, and hope.

//

With all this rain there’s bound to be puddles. With any hint of rain, Charlotte will tell you, “You know what comes after rain? Puddles! We get to jump in them!” Actually, Charlotte doesn’t jump, but she cheers you on in all the jumping. Together we’ll sing (thanks to Peppa Pig), “jumping up and down in muddy puddles, splish, splash, splish, splash!”

As soon as the rain clears, I put your red Paw Patrol boots on and follow you outside. I watch you find a puddle, scrunch your hands together, and yell: “Ready, steady, GO!” Running through the puddle you make a splash scattering water over your clothes and flying through the air. A smile never leaves your face as you stand in place, kneel, and jump with two feet. With each splash I watch the water leave droplets on your cheek and splotches on your pants. You look down the sidewalk, “Is there more muddy puddles?” We all follow you to the next puddle and watch you jump.

On your 3rd birthday it’s my wish for you, Isaac, that you’ll know the power found in water and the gifts freely given to us by God. I hope you feel the splash of water and feel God’s grace dripping on you. I pray you never lose the desire to run and jump trusting that whenever you land, you will always be caught.

//

Our summer days include time in the garden where I water and you and Charlotte pick fruit and veggies. Anytime I mention the word garden, you’re ready to join me. By this time of the summer, the crops are towering over you. I grab the hose and you run to the blackberry bushes. “Is this one ready, Mama?” You ask me holding up a blackberry, fitting perfectly between your small fingers. Waiting for me to say yes you hold it to the sun.

“Yes, it’s ready,” I tell you as you quickly pop it in your mouth with a smile, a bit of juice dripping from the side of your mouth. I keep watering the garden, a hint of rainbow shines through the water’s spray. A bounty before us, new life bursting from the darkness of the ground. This is our holy feast, our bread and wine, an abundance of tangible fruits pointing to God’s goodness.

On your 3rd birthday it’s my wish for you, Isaac, that you’ll continue to see the abundance in your midst. Keep reaching for the fruits that are there for you and keep sharing them with others. I pray you always know the joy of dirt in your hands, marveling at a flower turning to fruit, and a honey bee collecting pollen.

Here’s to another year creating, jumping, and savoring this life together.

Happy Birthday, Isaac.

All my love,

Your Mama

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