Dear Ezekiel,

Today, you turned 5 years old. The past few months have brought about challenges and many more joys. Since you turned 4, things have changed a lot! We moved away from Florida, you started physical therapy, had an mri, many doctor appointments to try to diagnose your little leg, and started K4 at FACS. You have grown at least 3 inches in the past year and gained at least 5 pounds. You are growing up and not out at all :)

God has been with you every step of the way. His hands are all over your precious, little life. You continue to surprise the doctors. Your legs are the same length! They were positive your left leg bones were shorter than your right, but they aren't. You still don't walk completely right, and your muscles are much smaller on your left than your right. You wear a brace in your shoes and have personal insoles. Each day you get stronger and stronger.

You don't have an enemy in the world. You are so much like your mom. You truly have such a gentle spirit and love everyone around you. Everyone is your friend. You come home and talk about "the friends" at school. Our say "my boys" or "my girls" when talking about them. Mrs. Z even had to teach you how to tell the friends to leave your alone, because you wouldn't say anything. The only person you were hurt intentionally would be your big brother, and that doesn't happen very often. Malachi is, of course, your best friend and your worst enemy. You 2 have always shared a room and usually do so extremely well. He needs you as a little brother to help ease his fears and anxieties. Through it all, you never complain and enjoy the fact that your big bro needs you.

Your laughter always fills the house. Your sense of humor continues to develop, and you get that from your Daddy. You LOVE to laugh, and we LOVE to laugh with you and at you :)

You still encourage us (as your parents), daily. For a time, you would often come up to me, as I was doing the wash, or vacuuming, or cleaning, and say, "You're doing a good job, Mommy!" If you had a knightly name, it would be EZEKIEL the ENCOURAGER.

Even though you were a surprise, even though you have experienced such intense health issues, even though you have been sedated 4 times, you hold the greatest outlook on life and have the most contagious laugh ever. You have taught us not to sweat the little stuff and to be thankful that every day that God gives you. I can't imagine life without you. God must have an incredible plan for your life, and you already have an amazing testimony of God's goodness and grace. Thank you for being you. Thank you for loving me unconditionally and loving God, too, as you grow and learn. I think God gives us children to teach and raise up in His image, but I often think that God gave you to us to teach us how to love HIM more and more.

Everyone is blessed to have known you. I thank God everyday for such a special young man.

Love,

Momma