my little Eyan is getting baptized this coming week
he is a gentle soul
affectionate
protector
observer
peacemaker
he is the soft hand on my shoulder when i begin to raise my voice
a reminder i asked him to give me
and he remembers
he remembers
he is a fierce competitor when it comes to sports and games of any sort
he likes to win
he loves hockey
and checks the game stats and standings first thing when he wakes up
i love this sweet age of eight
budding curiosity
innocence preserved
a closeness to spiritual matters
expanding knowledge of the world around them
heightened ability to decipher what is right and what is wrong
a world in black and white
mom is still a beacon of truth
it is at this age that our faith, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, opens the window for baptism
to demonstrate our willingness to obey his commandments and follow Christ's example
it is at this age in which children know enough about right and wrong that they can begin to be held accountable for their choices
accountability
responsibility
consequences
repentance
forgiveness
grace
such concepts of grand weight that it takes men a lifetime to understand and practice
but if you ask Eyan about, he can explain in a way only a nearly eight year old heart could
these are all things you pray that as a mother you have taught your child
and have kept your motherly promise to do as Hannah in the Old Testament, to give him to the Lord all the days of his life
i am so delighted by the young man he is growing up to be
and grateful to have captured his soothing personality in these photos
