NINE Years Old

Samuel Jacob, you are NINE years old! Halfway to an adult! You're growing fast and are a joy to our family. At nine years old, you are smart, passionate, creative, curious, independent, and thoughtful. Your favorite things right now are listening to audio books (and reading), playing the switch, Harry Potter, Mario Brothers, the Land of Stories, karate, playing the keyboard, craft/STEM projects, and playing outside.

You are bright and intelligent especially in math. You catch onto concepts very quickly and are an advanced reader. Sometimes the details, and tedious parts of school trip you up a bit, but I'm continually amazed at how fast you are able to learn and understand new concepts. Science is your favorite subject, and language arts is your least favorite. Your strongest subject is math. 

In your free time, you always have your kindle up to your ear listening to an audio book. By far, your favorite book series is the Land of Stories and the Tale of Magic (a spinoff from the Land of Stories). You listen to those books over and over and over (usually on a super fast speed too). You know all the details and are constantly talking to others about them and convincing them to read them. 

You're also content to be alone in your room listening and doing some sort of creative project- drawing, sewing, playing music, writing stories. 

You're definitely an introvert, and while friends are important to you, you have lower social needs than other kids. Your best friends right now are Asher and Caleb, Daniel and Leon, and Cade. You enjoy playing video games with Caleb and Asher and playing outside with the Pashkovets (especially in the "forest" behind their house). 

You love to play outside building with sticks and leaves. You're certainly a hands on learner. You'll stay outside playing in the dirt and sand for hours. You are the biggest help on any gardening or flower bed project. 

You are an independent guy rarely asking for help with anything you need. You always prefer to figure things out and do them on your own without help. Hard things and challenges also don't intimidate you. You much prefer challenges to easy tasks. That's always been a trait I admire in you. 

Right now you take gymnastics classes (although I have a feeling you'll be ready to move on to something else soon). You also take karate lessons, and we're planning to start piano lessons in the next school year. 

You made the best decision this year to follow Christ. We're so proud of you and are seeing the fruit of the Holy Spirit develop in your life. You are wise beyond your years, and although it doesn't happen often, when you speak up, everyone needs to listen because you say the most profound things. 

You are silly and goofy and love a good joke- hearing one and telling one. You like all the silly nine- year-old boy jokes. 

The traits I see developing in you will take you far Samuel- your work ethic, determination, servant's heart, and intelligence, I just can't wait to see what work the Lord does in your life. I'll always be right there cheering you on and feeling so very proud of you.