Your New Home

Dear Byron,

You're gone. This past weekend you, Mommy and Daddy, all left us to go live in your brand new home. You were here for three whole months and now you're gone. Oh, you're not that far away. We live in the suburban part of Houston and now you live inside loop 610, about fifteen minutes from where your parents work. That's one of the big reasons they bought your new home. Both you and they will be much closer to the downtown area of Houston and you won't have to travel so far.

But we'll miss you. We'll miss your happy smile. We'll miss the excitement of learning so many new things. And you certainly did learn lots right in front of our eyes in these past three months.

• You learned how to drink from a cup and how to hold your own 'sippy' cup. And just this very weekend you gave up drinking from a bottle. Wow! You're really a growing kid. 

• You learned so much coordination with your hands. You went from having to grab this or that with your entire hand to being able to pick up little pieces of food with your index finger and thumb. And boy, do you ever love to push the buttons on my iPhone with your finger. 

• You also learned to hold a spoon and spoon food out of a cup or off your own dish. You love to feed yourself and you're getting better at it every day. 

• You're just beginning to learn how to sit on your trike, not quite with the pedals yet—that will come later—but you're learning to pull and push with your sturdy little legs. More to come in that arena. 

• You learned to say your first words. You say 'Momma' and 'Dadda' and 'Bye' and your favorite expression, 'Duck, duck, duck!' When you get going with something new you break out into that chant and we all see how proud you are of yourself. 

• But here's the biggy. In the past couple weeks you learned to stand on your own two feet AND TO WALK! Wow! 'Duck, duck, duck!' everywhere now. How very happy we all are to see you walking. Every so often you slip and go plop down on your bottom, but then up you come and off you go, 'Duck, duck, ducking' along. Its been great to behold. 

We also note your curiosity. You want to touch everything, hold it, tear it apart, examine it, feel it, sometimes taste it. So many curious and wonderful experiences. Its a big, glorious world and little by little your own private world is expanding even as your body and mind grow and develop. And all the things I mentioned above have been in only these past three months. I can hardly wait to see what will happen in the next three to six months.

But you have a new home, the first I imagine of many. Your Daddy tells us that he fully expects your family will even move overseas to some far, far away place like Korea or Singapore or something like that for a few years. After all, he is an engineer and he works for an international energy company. So many adventures await you and your family as you learn about this big, big world.

But wherever you go, wherever you and your Mommy and Daddy make your home, we know that we'll be welcome to visit, just as you visited us these past three months. And one more thing, a word from our dear Lord Jesus, 

Jesus answered him, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. - John 14:23 ESV 

As you grow you will understand more and more that Jesus has already made His home in your heart. You will learn more and more about His never-ending love and care for you and your family. Keep that good Word in your heart. Guard it carefully. Don't let anyone or any thing take it from you. And the more you learn about His love, the more you will see Him and hear Him and talk with Him in your home.

Each evening while you were here at our home we prayed for you, thanking Jesus for the day and for His protection and blessings. Our prayers will continue, Byron. God bless you and Mommy and Daddy.

We love you,

GGPa