Life Round Clarina's: Dear Jonas

Dear Jonas,

Along comes another year and I ask the question again...

"What would you like to do for your birthday this year Jonas?"... and I get the same old answer!

"Play football Mama!"

And so ANOTHER football party with your crazy friends it was!

You are football mad - you would eat, sleep and breath football if you could. I love seeing you out there on the pitch when I can (Papa covers your matches while I ferry your sisters around on a Saturday morning!) but I love seeing you play as often as possible.

You continue to follow in your Papa's footsteps in every way - you two are two peas in a pod. You both hate tomatoes, you both love football, you both are determined, you're both great friends to others, you're both quiet leaders, fiercely loyal and both get a kick out of winding others up! But this year I have enjoyed finally finding something you enjoy like your Mama - you devour books, and you love to draw!

Watching your love of reading turn from something you quite enjoyed to something you really, really love has been so much fun... I've loved sneaking new books into your collection that you initially perhaps wouldn't go for yourself and I've set myself the challenge of teasing you away from the Story Tree House books to a slightly more varied literary diet. You're really enjoying "Encyclopedia Brown" and "The Secret Seven" but I still find you sneaking back to your old favourite Football player "Rules!" books! For you, though, nothing beats a good old-fashioned copy of the Beano... and I love finding little comic strips that you've sketched and written lying around! You take so much pride in your artwork!

You're a quiet leader... when I picked you up from your School sleepover last week, your teachers all commented what a strong leader you were, but in a really gently way. It was such a lovely way to hear your described... how you gently drew your teammates out of their shells and worked together to win the challenges you were set as a team. You've always been a team player, and you have the loveliest group of friends. All as fun-loving as you are. You are quietly determined, and have a stubborn streak. You know what you're doing and you do it well. You have always been understated. I love that about you.

Of course, it isn't all roses... you play the "annoying younger brother" role to a "T", but you also adore your big sisters and your brother remains your bestie. I love seeing the two of you boys together... one minute you'll be play fighting, the next being ridiculously affectionate with each other. You have your own language "Somalee" which you both speak and understand (you have used it since you were 2 and 3 so its very well established now!), though it makes no sense to the rest of us... and there are entire songs which you have composed together in your language which you both sing along at the top of your lungs to the rest of our amusement! I hope the two of you will always remain as close as you are now!

One of the things I have loved this year Jonas, is seeing you start to explore faith more. To ask questions and seek answers... to realise that our faith as your parents is not something you inherit, but a relationship you have to have for yourself. You love youth group, you have been the keenest member of our Kids doctrine group on Sunday nights, and a willing volunteer for all the crazy illustrations. I pray you will always want to learn and grow, to ask questions and seek answers and find that Jesus is the rock that stands through it all. Our prayer is that you will seek the Lord your whole life, and find in Him the peace that your name means, and that only he can provide... we pray you'll do everything you do for an audience of One.