Happy 9th Birthday, Ethan Reid!

To my favorite boy in the world,

Happy 9th Birthday! I have spent time over the past couple days looking back at you. I specifically went looking for the pictures from those first minutes after you were born, the ones that captured our first moments with you. I am still just blown away by the miracle you are. God created each tiny toe, your perfect profile, and those pouty newborn lips. I'll never be deserving of all of the blessings in my life, but I am so very thankful that God chose your dad and me to be your parents. 

The past 9 years have been the greatest adventure! There's never a dull moment, and I never could have prepared myself for the joys that life with a little boy would bring. I've been able to experience so many things through you... Ninja Turtles and Star Wars, Legos and video games, soccer and Taekwondo, just to name a few. You are a happy, confident little boy and I love watching you change and grow.


A few things about you...

-You and your dad are almost Taekwondo Black Belts! This huge accomplishment has been many years in the making and I'm so proud of your dedication to this goal and your hard work! The final Black Belt test was postponed due to the coronavirus, which has been frustrating, but it WILL happen and I cannot wait to celebrate when it does. 

-You are still a little soccer star. Our soccer season was cancelled because of the virus, (so many things have been cancelled and postponed) but you'll be back on the field as soon as possible. Your favorite soccer player is Cristiano Ronaldo and you want to play professional soccer like him when you get older.

-You are officially a rising 3rd grader. This past school year was so strange because the schools were closed due to the coronavirus. We worked together with your teacher to complete your 2nd grade year via Google Classroom. It was still a success despite the challenges. Shortly before the schools were closed, you won 1st Place for the 2nd grade in the ACSI Spelling Bee! Five schools came together to compete and you won that 1st place spot for Calvary. Your dad and I are so proud of the way you set goals for yourself and work hard to reach them.

-You are a great friend. You're a social guy and love being around your friends and cousins. You're competitive and confident, but also affectionate and thoughtful. You're an all around great kid and we adore you!

(Best homeschooling buddy ever.)

-You love our puppy, Zeus, so very much! When we first laid eyes on the litter that we were choosing from, you immediately insisted that we should pick the puppy with the red collar. He was also the largest puppy in the bunch, which was slightly terrifying to me. I knew we would already be getting a male German Shepherd that would easily weigh 100 pounds. When the time came to bring our puppy home, however, red collar it was. He is the biggest and loudest puppy I've ever seen or heard. He's also the smartest and the most loyal puppy I've ever known. You and Gracie think he's the absolute best dog ever, and he is a perfect fit for our family. He'll go anywhere and do anything as long as he's with his people.

-We celebrated your birthday at home this year. Ashley, Austin, and Ryleigh came over to our house to spend the day with you. We had doughnuts for breakfast, pizza for lunch, and a chocolate mousse cake for dessert. You and your cousins had an indoor Nerf battle and played Minecraft because it was pouring rain outside. You chose cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, and turkey bacon for dinner, even though what you really wanted was crab legs from Crab Catchers at the beach! We'll make that up to you soon, my boy!




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