Here are MY 3 posing in their red, white and blue!
Yesterday, we celebrated Cole's 3rd Birthday and while our nation celebrated it's Independence Day, we celebrated the life of our precious, vibrant, expressive, compassionate, intuitive boy.
We started celebrating the night before his birthday, by going to a drive-in movie theater and seeing Toy Story 3! We all had a blast. We met some friends there from our church, and watched the kids run around playing football and bean bag toss before the movie started in our "front row" seats :) We backed our car into our spot and set out lawn chairs and blankets for our family to enjoy the movie from. We all had a great time. The boys sat like statues in their chairs the whole time eating graham crackers while Cora lasted through most of it before wanting to climb though the car instead :) With some birthday money from grandparents, Cole picked out a Buzz and Woody from the store the next day for his birthday along with a truck and toy where two cars race down a ramp. Ryder and Cora are also loved his choices and have been asking him to share since we brought them home!
I really wasn't sure Cole was going to understand what it meant to have a birthday since we haven't had many parties around here since moving to IL. I was so encouraged though, because by the end of the day, with all presents he received, the balloons we blew up, the Toy Story table cloth we put on our dining room table and cupcakes we baked, he started smiling saying, "It's MY birthday!" It brought SO much joy to my heart to see my boy enjoy his day and tell me (after much prompting) that he is 3! What a blessing it was that our friends invited us over to their house for a BBQ that night, and so after spending time with sweet friends the Lord has blessed us with, we all sang "Happy Birthday" to Cole...
...watched him blow out candles...
...and ate cupcakes and ice cream together...
While we sang, he was grinning from ear to ear, slightly shy from all the attention :)
He was perfectly adorable in every way, almost surprised so much attention was on him :)
Then we were on to fireworks, meeting up with some other friends from church!!!
Despite the humidity...everyone had fun :)
Halfway through the fireworks show, Ryder came up to me, leaned over and whispered in my ear..."Mom, I'm so glad it's Coley's birthday so we can watch fireworks..."
And that's how it will be for the rest of his life...the nation will stop on his birthday, to gather in celebration of the freedom we enjoy everyday. Cole's name means, "victory for the people." The victory Cole lives in each day is a victory very similar to the one our country celebrates each 4th of July. As a nation we celebrate freedom found in our Independence. Cole's life represents to me, the same type of victory. His disability could limit him, but he does not live like one who is hindered in any way. His freedom could be credited to his CI's, but I know it goes far beyond technology. God has given him an unquenchable spirit...the Spirit of the Living God is not limited to those of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear. The Holy Spirit transcends our human senses and speaks to the heart.
We did all we could this year to help Cole understand it was his birthday...a day to celebrate HIM! I am so thankful to worship a God who speaks to the heart of those He has created in ways that transcend the spoken language Cole is working so diligently to attain on earth right now. Even before Cole had hearing through CI's, God was speaking to His heart...I know that. Now, it is my prayer, that all who meet him, will be inspired to live in freedom the way my boy does. He does not live life with a hindered spirit, and neither should any of us! We serve a God who is FAITHFUL and just, and hears us when we call...he has a plan and purpose for each of us and NOTHING can stand in the way of the one is living in victory and freedom because of Christ.
We praise you Lord for the freedom we have in you because of what you have done for us. May your children embrace that gift and live for YOU all of the days of their lives. Thank you for Cole and how wonderfully you made him! And thank you for the fireworks every year that will help remind us of your perfect plan for him and us all as we live in YOUR freedom...
AMEN!
Happy Birthday Cole Bryan! P.S. That last photo, with the fireworks, is phenomenal!!!
So beautiful.... and true!
Happy Birthday Coley! You will always be our precious little firecracker!
XOXOX
Happy Birthday to sweet, sweet Cole!!! What a fun day and a fun way to celebrate! :)