A few days before Christmas, Halayah celebrated her seventeenth birthday! It is phenomenal to think that she can already be that age. She is growing into an exemplary young lady with masses of potential and excitement and a zest for life. She is a talented girl with an intense love for the Lord. Her kind heart is such an element of her strength!
Next came Christmas with our celebration of the gift of the Christ-child with family gatherings and gift giving. We had a blessed time crowding together in our modest home and renewing our family bonds. We always enjoy our time together in the loud merriment of the moment.
She is full of spunk and enthusiasm for each new occasion that comes her way. She is maturing into a little lady, yet she still finds it appealing to dash into sundry diversions with her older brothers.
Later in January, you can find Jonah counting down the days until his birthday. He turned fifteen this year. Again, it’s hard to believe that he can have arrived at this milestone. He continues to be curious about any sort of fauna in God’s wide creation.
He always has in his possession some sort of critter in a container for observation. When he flashes his engaging smile, you can’t help but return in kind. Quiet and reserved, he is a man of few words, but his love for the Lord is evident.
Bastion. . . the word usually brings to mind a projecting part of a fortification built at an angle to the line of a wall, so as to allow defensive fire in several directions.
Its second definition is more fitting in speaking of our family birthdays- an institution, place, or person strongly defending or upholding particular principles, attitudes, or activities. That is how I see our family. The maturation that birthdays bring, just weaves a little tighter the defense, the principles, the attitudes and the activities that Mark and I through the grace of God, are attempting to continue molding into our family. May God continue to give the increase! Happy Birthday everyone!