Happy 9th Birthday Jacob!

Happy Birthday to Jacob!  It hit me yesterday that you are HALFWAY to 18.  Where has the time gone?  What a joy you have been to your daddy and me...and to your entire family!  In honor of your birthday, I am going to do 9 facts about you.

1. You are a great big brother.  On Saturday mornings you like to get Natalia out of bed and then bring her downstairs.  I ate lunch with you at school yesterday and brought you home a little early.  You kept watching the clock around bus time and said, "do you want me to go down and wait for Alexa?"  You rode to the bus stop on your scooter....and waited right there for her.  She got off the bus and gave you a big hug!  You take care of your sisters and are already protective of them.
2. You are so interested in the 50s and 60s.  I love that you have an interest in history...especially in the pop culture from different decades.  I bought an old social studies book from the 50s at an antique store and you are fascinated by it.  You took it to school to show your teacher.  You also pointed out to me that the characters in the book have typical 50s names like Cal and Betsy and Patricia.  You love to point "50s names" out to me.  "Mom, that sounds like a 50s name"...We were on YouTube yesterday and since you are into wizardry and magic, you wanted to watch Bewitched.  I remember being 3 or 4 and while my mom was cooking dinner in the late afternoon, old reruns of that show would be on.  I loved that show.  I also thought it was cool that the actress who played Tabitha was named Erin Murphy which was the last 2/3 of my name.  We  watched one episode of the show and then you begged for one more...so we watched another.  We had fun laughing at Gladys Kravitz, the nosy neighbor!
3. You like to read a chapter book before bedtime.  You have never enjoyed bedtime...from the time you were a baby.  You just didn't want to be alone.  For the past few years, after getting tucked in, you would come down several times saying you couldn't fall asleep.  I have always told you that reading is the best way to occupy your mind before bed, until you're so tired that you drift off.  Well, you have been doing that, right there on your top bunk, reading for 30 minutes, and it's working.
4. You are a very responsible student.  You have a ton of quizzes, tests, and benchmarks this year.  You are always prepared and know what to study for.  You made all A honor roll for the first 9 weeks.  You told me the other day, "Mommy...I don't know how to say this...but I think...I LOVE school!"  Words can not describe how happy this made me. 
5. You have a great variety of friends and always stay busy after school.  Yesterday, when I came to eat lunch with you, you had barely sat down before you said, "Mommy, can Camryn eat with us?  You know it's our tradition."  Since Camryn ate with us when I came for your birthday lunch last year, we had to do it again.  Not a problem...she is a sweetheart.  She even gave you a hug when it was time to go. 
6. You have quite an appetite.  You have tried several new foods this year: most recently is monte cristos (battered ham, turkey, and cheese sandwiches) which you have begged us to make.  Last Sunday morning after the time change at around 9:30 I came out to the kitchen and you said, "I'm making a buffet."  You had already put on a plate turkey slices, pepperoni, sprinkle cheese, and were in the process of getting a pickle.  You have also become quite the pizza critic.  Daddy and I find it funny that you would much rather go for the chain style pizza like Pizza Hut versus one-of-a-kind pizza that we have been able to find throughout Houston or on vacation. 
7. You are always coming up with new projects to stay busy.  The desk area in the kitchen will be clean one minute, and the next will be littered with paper scraps, glue, tape, scissors, crayons, markers.  All I have to do is follow a trail, and find that you have come up with some new creation, invention, project that will keep you busy for the next few days.  Then it's back to the drawing board!
8. You love old movies.  You used to think black and white was not cool, but at just 9, you have learned to appreciate them.  Last year, when we watched the old A Christmas Carol, you loved it.  Just last night at dinner, you told us that the DVD is in the car because you watched it on the way to Dallas this past summer.  Daddy and I just looked at each other and laughed.   We are anxiously awaiting watching the new version in 3D later today.  You also LOVE It's a Wonderful Life.  We've had several discussions about the lessons to be learned from that movie.  Especially, to appreciate your life and also what a difference you can make in other people's lives.  Even the little things...You have even watched Rear Window and know all about Alfred Hitchcock.  And then of course, is Monster Movie Night that you do every Friday night in September and October with Daddy.
9. You have such a love for Jesus.  Your door is decorated with SEVERAL signs, but my favorite one that you made says: "Don't believe in Jesus?  Then leave".  It reminds me of GOT MILK?...got Jesus?  My most important job as your mommy is to teach you to walk with Him and to grow your faith.  On that, I feel successful, because you are doin' it!!!

You are the best son a mom could ask for. I am so privileged to be your mother and to be able to raise you and watch you grow. I can't even begin to think about a year from today when you are 10. But for now, I am just going to enjoy you being 9.  Happy Birthday, Jacob!  Daddy and I and your sisters love you bunches, buddy!