“Sing Amazing Grace” was the request as I tucked in my little boy just three days before his birthday. As I began to softly sing this family favorite I was suddenly joined by his baby voice singing along with me! He hasn’t done that before and I mentally recorded that moment. I kissed his little face and prepared to go out and then heard, “thank you Jesus, Mom!” I settled back on his bed and began to pray aloud as he told me his requests: “thank you Jesus for Rowan. Thank you Jesus for his birthday…” After talking about how excited he is for his special day coming up, I slipped out with a full heart.

In those bedtime moments I had a flash back to a treasured memory from when he was an infant. I was standing by his crib, singing his lullabies and I caught sight of our shadows on the wall: my head and his round baby head snuggled close together. The two blended shadows almost looked like a heart. I had taken a mental snapshot of that image as well. I knew how time would fly. Now my little boy is in his own room, in his own bed, with thoughts all his own and the vocabulary to express them.

This athletic boy astounds me every day with his physical prowess. Riding his bike, jumping from ridiculous angles and heights, riding a rocking horse by standing on the seat with arms outstretched, and dancing to the Encanto soundtrack are just some of the things he enjoys doing every day. But in the midst of all of his activity he still finds time to snuggle his baby brother, look at his favorite books for up to an hour at a time, find flowers for me, and chat with me about the adventures his imagination has planned out.

Rowan owns life. From completely potty-training himself just after his second birthday to not needing shoes even on the hottest and roughest surfaces, he proves his mind over matter abilities. He replies to questions with such confidence that he almost convinces me he knows everything. He makes his requests with such conviction that giving him a negative answer nearly seems out of the question. He walks with such purpose that one would never doubt his destination is expecting him. And the comfort he feels in his own skin makes clothing unnecessary to him (quite literally! A completely dressed Rowan is a rare sight indeed).

My admiration and love for this boy runs deep. It began even before I knew him as I longed for him before we knew he was destined to join our family. His intensity for living doesn’t always make me smile, however. From sleep regression as an infant to weaning before I was ready to short fuses that sent us into hurricane-prep mode in order to protect anything within his reach, he has driven me to desperation at times…and to my knees. And as I have prayed and persevered he has come through all of it. One of his greatest achievements has been to recognize his temper and run to his room to vent, then coming out composed. This has shown me how willing he is to learn and practice and grow and that I can do the same.

This boy is iron and steel wrapped around a fervently beating heart. I pray that heart will always be tender to His Savior and a hurting world and that his strength will never diminish.