9

I don't know how this keeps happening! I feel like I blink and you are a year older! This year has been a wild one for sure! I feel like I still include your appendix craziness in the last year 🤯 it has been a year of growing for sure! That, healing, vision therapy, 3rd grade, lego engineers and now into baseball! It has been a wild ride! I am so incredibly proud of you! It is so fun to watch you continue to love all things science, engineering, math, problem solving. You have such a talented and creative mind and I love getting to witness it. You have the biggest heart! You are the first to want to share with someone else or think I bet 'this person's would love this or that. You are the first to complement or celebrate someone else's wins ❤️ You are such a darling human and it is one of the greatest blessings of my life to get to be your mom. It is truly and honor to watch you learn, grow and create! 

It was so fun to see you ask for a birthday party! It was so fun to watch you have a blast with your friends! Everything from playing the switch, a balloon battle and wiffle ball out in the street!! You are growing into quite the young man! 

Mr. Cooper I hope you know just how incredible you are! You are a son of God! Hold onto that truth and don't you dare for get it, no matter what anyone else thinks or says! Please remember that we are all different. With different talents and strengths and that was done on purpose. We are supposed to complement each other, serve each other. We all have a purpose and mission here on earth. And your mission is yours because of who you are and the talents you bring. 

Look for the good in life. Sweetheart, this life is bananas and there are a million and one reasons why it would be so easy to fall into a doomsday trap, live in fear and focus on all the wicked and bad that is happening in the world. But that is no way to go through life. There is so much beauty and goodness in the world. "Look for the helpers" look for the sprinkles of light and goodness all around you and get so good at looking for it that seeing it becomes so natural! Turn your focus to the giver of light. I promise you as you look to your Savior you will find more joy and hope and a better life than you could ever experience. Note I didn't say easy, but better. Filled with love and goodness. A life filled with experience that will prepare you to be like your Father in Heaven and inherit all that he has. He loves you so much and wants you to come home! Trust him. Talk to him regularly. Let him be your confidant and best friend! 

I love you Mr. Cooper! Thank you for letting me be your mom! Thank you for being patient with me as I learn and grow. Thank you for teaching me and loving me! You hold such a tender place in my heart! I hope you had a wonderful birthday! And I can't wait to see what this next year brings!!