Our firstborn

 Still sensitive, caring, and sweet as a double fudge chocolate cake (first sweet thing that came to my mind), almost every thing I say to describe Justus will involve someone else. He fixes people’s cereal in the morning, he helps me clean the house, he takes care of Naomi and dotes over her like she is his pet (might as well be!) He lives with his eyes open – always looking to see how people are reacting to what he says or does. He is learning about the power of his words and the influence he has on his brothers, and he’s not taking it lightly. 

Justus loves to be outside. He is getting so strong and tough. I can't hardly keep him inside. He comes in just long enough to do school, and as soon as I release them for a break, he's back out the door. Come to think of it, maybe he doesn't like us?! ;)

He loves math and science and is always begging me to plant things and do science experiments. He concocts bottles of different colored liquids and keeps them in the freezer. Apparently, this is fun for him. Last week, he went out front and worked in the yard, pulling weeds and watering the plants…just because he wanted to. 

Justus loves Jesus above all else. He might be quiet at times. He might shy away from speaking up about some things, but don’t you dare say something disrespectful or blasphemous about God. He won’t have it. He’ll share the truth of the gospel to anyone and everyone. The timid feelings go out the window! 

The underbite has transformed tremendously, and Justus is on what should be the last week or so of his palate expander. He is onto braces…he'll be shaving before we know it!

Justus' #1 love is the Lord. I wouldn't question that for a moment. He is also a little prayer warrior. "The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.." (James 5:16)

God answered, "Yes," when Justus prayed for this little jewel. He doesn't have any regrets for asking Jesus for a little sister. She is absolutely #2 on his list of favorites!

I say this a lot, so it probably gets old to him, but I do not know how I would do what I do without Justus. He supports me in ways he probably doesn't even realize, and he does it all because he (usually) wants to. He loves his brothers with everything in him, and I think the wrestling and bossing them around is maybe supposed to be his way of showing it? (I still don't have the male breed quite figured out yet.) This is Justus' last year in the single digits, and I know he is destined for great things. He is getting smarter and wiser every day, and the questions he has started asking about life have wowed us and started us on the road to parenting growing children. They might still be young in the grand scheme of life, but they certainly aren't all "little" anymore in terms of their developing minds. Justus has paved the way for us in so many ways, because he is our firstborn.

9 years old, and blowing me away

We love you, Juicinator.