At Whit's Inn: David Josiah is 4!

Born March 12, 2009 weighing 5lbs 10oz and measuring 16 1/2 inches long (not a misprint!) at 7:07 p.m.

David means "Beloved one" and Josiah means "The Lord's Fire." Other sources we read said that Josiah means "Yahweh supports" or "Jehovah heals." His name was full of significance for us. Some of the significance had to do with his conception following a miscarriage and a very difficult time in our lives. Healing for me didn't only take place because of a successful pregnancy and birth, but because of a friendship in my life that God really began cultivating that same year. That friend's name is David, so in my heart I was partly giving him a name that belonged to someone who meant a lot to me and partly thinking about the David in scripture too. We wanted him to have a fervent heart for the Lord and bravery to withstand even the toughest giants. We really get into this whole name-blessing thing, but I always end up laughing at how God takes those blessings and magnifies them sometimes in ways we do not expect Him to! I mean, come ON! "The Lord's FIRE!!???!!!" Who did I EXPECT him to be? Anyone reading this who knows our 4th child should be at least chuckling! Oh, he's full of fire alright! He also doesn't mind suffering any amount of pain for whatever he thinks is right! I've seen him (age 2) flail his body on the floor during a tantrum and painfully BANG his head on our hard-wood floors multiple times just because what he thinks is right and what we think is right.... is not the same! He is FULL of passion, exactly like David of the Bible. That David sinned big but he loved big too. There's hardly a middle ground with our David. He is either mad with some huge display of emotion or he is completely sweet and loving with the same intensity! He is never "just a little tired." If he decides he's tired in the kitchen and his blanket happens to be nearby, he will just sleep right there....a very deep sleep that no one can wake him from! He is very musical and physically very strong, even if he is a teeny boy! One time I watched him crawl (wasn't walking yet) over to his big brother Andrew, grab him by the hair, and PULL him off of a toy he wanted. Made big ol' Andrew cry! I could only stand there with my mouth open! On the flip side, lately I'm enjoying that he tells me that he loves me more often than anyone else on earth! Before you feel sorry for me, YES other people say that in my life, it is just that he takes the time to pause and say it to me VERY often! He also loves saying with the sweeeeeetest voice "Mama, Timothy is sooooo sweet!" He is starting to cool it on the tantrum side because his vocabulary is getting a whole lot bigger too. There are countless ways that this kid blesses our lives, even if he keeps us on our toes! He's also making us smarter because we often have to figure out how to make the "right" thing seem like his idea somehow.

David Josiah, you may only be 24 pounds at 4 years old, but I think God has really BIG, special plans for you. He needs fighters like you to defend righteousness! God, through your grace, help us show him what that looks like!

As a mom of half a dozen, doing birthday picture-stories like this one make me think about how big my other kids have gotten too! Wow! We all loved you then, David, and we love you so, so much now too!

First Bath

Papa & David

First Bottle

Snuggling with Great-pawpaw

He might actually be the Bradberry-lash winner!

"Sledding" (Wheel barrow minus wheels, pulled by a pick-up!)

David learned to crawl while we were painting and refinishing the big house God provided for us!

FISHING!!!

SLEEEEPING!!!

COWBOY!!!

One of our moving-card pictures

Favorite blankie and racoon!

3 years old!

Cookin'

This is pronounced the "CAnoo" boat!

David had a party yesterday themed with "Super Why" characters. We think he looks like "Super Why" and it is his favorite little show to watch. He loves his ABC's!