He's Six

Dear Isaac,

It felt like we waited a million years for you to be born. And now it has felt like we blinked and you are six.

We will never forget details of how you came to be our son.

The initial call from Joan. Bri making the decision that she wanted us to be your parents. Figuring out a way to make a drive from the panhandle of Florida to the southeast coast as soon as we got that call that you were on the way! Sitting in in a traffic jam on the Florida turnpike and hearing the words, "You have a son." Getting to thank Chris and Bri for their amazing gift in her hospital room. Looking at you in the hospital nursery form behind glass and wondering if they were going to let us back to see you. Holding Joni back from getting in a fistfight in order to get us back to you. Seeing you for the very first time. Feeding you your first bottle.

And then ... driving away from the hospital, adoption paperwork signed, to our forever as your dad and mom.

Since then we have lived in three houses. (Although you count our three month stay in a Germany hotel waiting for Abigail to be born as somewhere we lived too. So we'll say four.) Four houses. Four countries. Four kiddos now in our family.

You are introspective and reserved and diligent and determined. You are proving to be very good at math and have easily learned how to read. You are swimming, riding a bike, and still a huge fan of ice cream and candy. You love to organize and take pictures. You are a fantastic colorer and love to draw. You are playing tennis and have gotten quite good at it in just a few months.

You are the big brother. You make the rules. You save your smiles and laughs for moments that truly deserve them. You are absolutely attached to your loyal "Blue bear" and "Small doggie" stuffed animals. You know more about superheroes than your Dad. You covet trips to the library and always take the time to pick out books for your siblings. You love loyally but only to those very close to you. You think deeply and speak slowly.

You are truly our miracle. We still look at you and just cannot believe that we are lucky enough to be your Dad and Mom. To have the privilege to share your life with your biological family goes beyond anything we can even believe. We often think about what it would be like without you as the head of our cascading gaggle of children.

And that thought is not one we can comprehend.

We think often about the fact that had we not gone through all the years of dreaming of a baby, we probably wouldn't have been asked to be your parents.

And you know what? We'd take every year of pain and heartache dreaming of children if it meant you were at the end of that wait.

It felt like we waited a million years.

And every moment was worth it to be your Dad and Mom.

Here is a video we made this morning to wish your birthmom Bri happy birthday (since you two share this special day.) 

And here is a look back at your first five years:

Isaac at one

Isaac at two

Isaac at three

Isaac at four

Isaac at five

At Isaac's six year appointment he was 46 pounds (40th percentile), 46.6 inches (53rd percentile), and his BMI was 15 (32nd percentile).