One decade, 10 years, 120 months, 3,652 days...and countless memories. I can't believe Jonas is hitting the double digits! It has gone by too fast. Much to my dismay, he insists on growing up, but I couldn't be more proud of the young man he is becoming. He is witty, loyal, tender-hearted, obedient, observant, kind, and so much more. It has been fun (and a little terrifying) to see him start to transition from a little boy to a tween. I see him becoming more and more independent. He has always been a little more mature for his age (since he's been raised with all adults), but it's even more so now. Sometimes I am surprised by the depth of his thoughts regarding his faith and life in general. He isn't always certain how to navigate his growth and maturity, but he does it with determination and positivity. He is quick to listen to our counsel (and hopefully that doesn't change when he becomes a teenager) and always wants to make good choices. I'm not sure what Jeff and I did to get such an incredible kid, but I'm sure grateful he's ours.
On Saturday, July 19th, Jonas got to celebrate his birthday with the Tanners. Jonas has been invited to countless friend parties, but he has never really chosen to have one (which I'm more than ok with). Instead, we host a themed birthday party with his cousins. I honestly thought that maybe he'd be done with themed parties this year, but he still wanted one. However, he didn't really want any structured games; he just wanted to swim and have a nerf war. We found a fun "Peace Out Single Digits" theme with tie-dye decorations so we decided to tie-dye t-shirts for our one themed activity. They actually turned out really well for our first time! After our t-shirts, the kids swam and had their nerf war just like Jonas wanted. We also enjoyed lunch, gifts, and dessert.
Sunday, July 27th, was his actual birthday. For breakfast, he wanted waffles smothered in Nutella and syrup. Just like most kids, this boy loves his sugar! That evening, we had a birthday dinner (grilled chicken, Panera Bread mac & cheese, rolls, and a veggie tray with key lime pie/trifle for dessert) to celebrate with all his siblings, nephews, and nieces. I think more than anything, Jonas just loves being with his family so it was a perfect way to ring in the next decade of his life.