What We Miss About K-man

Ok this list could go on for miles. I'll try to keep it reasonable!!!

• singing the Victor Vito song and the Books of the New Testament song all day
• the way he replaced "v" with "b" and many other sounds with "sh"
• oh that laugh...how we miss that laugh!
• the way he said my name...every 3 seconds...haha!
• hearing him pray...and thank God "for Jesus, who died on the cross for us." I'll miss how he would simultaneously try to say everything that my husband said when praying, but in the end, I'll miss the few times he chose to pray on his own some very sweet, meaningful prayers.
• his amazing creativity
• he had just started to really tell jokes...that was a lot of fun
• listening to him talk to his brother
• his sweet, tender heart toward others - great sharer, being gentle and kind with babies, saying "I love you."
• his compassion - always wanting to pray for and serve people who were hurting
• books!! Oh the love he had for books! Such a fun trait to watch unfold!
• cooking :) it's just not the same in the kitchen by myself these days
• the shouts from the backseat that he literally could not contain - a constant stream of "Ooo, I see a convertible car...Motorcycle...Cement Mixer...Backhoe...Sarge has another brother...American flag...Prius car...etc."
• "Hold up..."
• "This is going to be a special, special surprise!"
• "I had so much fun!"
• His determination and patience when working on a difficult task...such a hard worker and creative spirit.
• "I was patient"
• Watching him conquer his irrational fear of fish...or "sish"
• Frequent references to the "Garbage Barge"...long story
• watching him learn, so diligently, his letters and numbers. There is nothing better than watching children learn!
• hugs and kisses...especially the hugs that required a running leap into my arms :)
• seeing him remorseful once he really started to mature into that concept
• snuggling with popcorn and a movie
• Trainspotting. This was probably the sweetest memory most of us have of K-man if you had the privilege of taking part. For an already high-energy, excited little boy, seeing a real train took it to a whole new level!
• Music time at the library. Wow, he came a long way, and in the end, I was extremely proud of his new-found security in that environment.
• Books he would often recite - "Twirl, twirl...Boogie, boogie down...Shimmy, shimmy, glide...Cookie's arms to the left and to the right...kick, kick, kick...and that's the end!" "I'm a pout-pout fish with a pout-pout face," "Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom," "I'm gonna take a trip on my train," "Gox box socks," "Duck had a close shave."
• He loved to drive or ride the stroller through puddles, and he would always say with a huge smile, "Splish, splash, splosh!"
• Evening walks with the wagon
• Picnics in the front yard
• Phrases he picked up, like "Bummer!" (from me) and "Bust my buffers!" (from Thomas the Train)
• "Shake, shake, shake your beanbag..." He LOVED that song
• His fascination with the gospel..."That's a cross...like God died on the cross...and then he rose again."
• He had this funny way of passively making statements that implied a request. Sometimes they were a bit aggravating, but they usually made me laugh. "Ms. _______, y'know...I really like candy...(hint, hint)." or "Ms. _________, what did you say? You said you want me to eat a cookie? Is that what you said?" Haha...too clever for his own good sometimes.
• Towards the end especially, he really wanted to please us and model after us, which was fairly new. He would say, "I don't like bananas," but if I said, "You don't?" He would often say, "Do you like bananas? Me too! I like bananas!"
• bath time
• "saying Spanish"
• playing his "airtar"
• the way he would ONLY play the piano if he had his "fire hat" (fireman's hat) on
• obsession with back flips after the circus (and he was quite good at them)
• his giddiness over riding on my husbands shoulders

Oh, K-man, I'm having to hold back sweet tears just thinking of all this. You were a very bright light in our home, our neighborhood, our town, and our church. I don't think we will ever stop thinking about you. Precious boy, we pray that the Lord would continue to give you a fascination with the gospel...that you would have a hunger for His Truth that you just can't satisfy...desiring to know Him and seeking to glorify Him in all you do. We pray that you will stand as an oak of righteousness one day and that the Lord will use you in incredible ways to bring His love and redemption into the broken lives that surround you. We will never stop hoping in the Lord for these things. 

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,

because the Lord has anointed me

to proclaim good news to the poor.

He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,

to proclaim freedom for the captives

and release from darkness for the prisoners, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

and the day of vengeance of our God,

to comfort all who mourn, 

and provide for those who grieve in Zion—

to bestow on them a crown of beauty

instead of ashes,

the oil of joy

instead of mourning,

and a garment of praise

instead of a spirit of despair.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

a planting of the Lord

for the display of his splendor."

Isaiah 61:1-3