Toby is Ten!

Dear Toby,

One of my favorite baby pics! Toby @ 3  months old

As always, I have been remembering that lovely summer morning 10 years ago when we first met you and began this journey.

Mowing the lawn!

How much you have grown and changed in the last year!  It has been fun to watch you build your confidence this year.  You've been hesitant to try new things; however, once you take that step, you are proud of your leadership.  You took your job as a school safety patrol member very seriously and your favorite class at Camp Legionville this summer was first aid. Recently, you discovered that mowing lawns is a great way for a kid to earn money and have set up a business plan and partnership with your buddy Andy.

You have definite opinions on things.  While this can be challenging sometimes, I admire your certainty and decisiveness (notice I did not use the word stubborn?!).

Since you were very small, you've loved to help in the kitchen.  Your interest in cooking has grown this year as well and it is always fun to help you cook.  There is usually some discussion of how things work:

This picture represents the detailed explanation
of how this hand mixer operates!

I look forward to helping you create some of your recipes from your new cookbook.

You possess a maturity and insight that I know I did not have at age 10.  You told me recently that you want to live on campus when you go to college because it's part of the college experience to learn to live on your own with someone else and good practice for when you have a family.  At the pool this summer, when Jonah and his friends brushed past us with barely an acknowledgement, your response was, "I don't know why Jonah acts like he doesn't have a family. . . "  followed by the Eddie Haskell-ish affirmation, "This is what is great about waterparks- the chance to be with my family: there's nothing better!"  (Yes, of course I fell for it!)













Of course, this last quote also demonstrates your sensitivity and concern for the feelings of others, qualities I treasure in you.  This year brought many challenges with the behavior of some of your classmates.  You are clearly able to articulate issues and are frustrated when others don't follow the rules; and at the same time, you are able to express some explanations for the behaviors.  You have learned to speak up and advocate for yourself and others this year: a hugely important skill!



I admire your big dreams and goals.   Whether working on Wall Street, designing roller-coasters or becoming a physicist, all your future career interests include lots of math!  Math is your favorite subject and the logic of math appeals to the way your brain works.



You have decided that this spring/summer was to be your last soccer season.  I will miss cheering you on the soccer field but look forward to your new endeavors as well!

You still struggle with worry. Lately, you're most anxious about severe weather. Last night we had storms during the block party for National Night Out and you were worried to the point of not being able to eat or enjoy yourself.  You were somewhat calmed by looking at the weather radar and seeing the projected track of storms; you desperately want CERTAINTY to cling to and storms are anything but!  

Some of your favorite activities are playing "Magic: The Gathering" and "Dungeons and Dragons" with Dad and Jonah.  You've gotten into "Star Trek" this year and were delighted to meet a new church friend who has been a major Trekkie in his life!

You love watching movies.  For your birthday party this year, you took friends to "Despicable Me 2" and had a blast!  

The down side of your love of movies, of course, is that you have not read as many books this summer as you have in years past.  Your favorite reading material this year has been Calvin and Hobbes cartoons: Calvin's antics and Hobbes' dry wit can entertain you for hours and it is fun to talk about some of the deeper themes and messages with you.

I am having trouble wrapping my brain around the fact that this will be your last year of elementary school.  It seems like just yesterday I was sending off an anxious, tiny, just-turned-five year old off to kindergarten.  Now you are ready for grade 5!

Happy 10th Birthday, Toby!  I love you so much!