The Gift of 16 Years
(If you are new here and want to know exactly why we are so thankful, you can read about it here and here.)
Our young man is 16 today. In my mind, sixteen is a milestone in a life and it's a day that we have prayed for, for many years. It's a day we have longed for and often wondered if we would celebrate this day with Micah here with us or if it would be a day of remembering. The Lord in His wisdom and sovereignty chose for Micah to be with us and the word thankfulness doesn't really convey how we really feel. I am so deeply moved that I almost didn't want to say anything about it today. Our hearts (mine and Ken's) are quite raw this morning - in a good way. But so many people have walked the road with us and have loved our family that it's important to me to share the continuing story of what the Lord has done. His faithfulness is so evident in the life of our family, but it's also very evident in Micah's life. That fact is probably most beautiful to me.
I thought I would do a picture for each of his years. It's fun to see how they grow and change.
This boy, named Micah Peter, came screaming into the world on January 7, 2002 at 12:07 pm. He was the hairiest little Eskimo boy that I had ever seen! Seeing this picture again reminds me of how different he looked from the rest of our babies.
Ha! This is how I remember my little crazy man! He is even foaming at the mouth! (o; Look at these little guys. Just for the record, this was the hardest camping trip of our lives! Hehe! I think the kids were this dirty the whole time. We look at these pics and always laugh so hard. He is two and a half-ish here! (o:
So this is the closest to 16 years old that I could find that's decent! It's 4.5 months old, but close enough! I will add a birthday picture here when I get one.
It's only fitting to end with my favorite Psalm. Read it out loud. It's wonderful.
Psalm103 (ESV)
1Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;[a]
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
Our young man is 16 today. In my mind, sixteen is a milestone in a life and it's a day that we have prayed for, for many years. It's a day we have longed for and often wondered if we would celebrate this day with Micah here with us or if it would be a day of remembering. The Lord in His wisdom and sovereignty chose for Micah to be with us and the word thankfulness doesn't really convey how we really feel. I am so deeply moved that I almost didn't want to say anything about it today. Our hearts (mine and Ken's) are quite raw this morning - in a good way. But so many people have walked the road with us and have loved our family that it's important to me to share the continuing story of what the Lord has done. His faithfulness is so evident in the life of our family, but it's also very evident in Micah's life. That fact is probably most beautiful to me.
I thought I would do a picture for each of his years. It's fun to see how they grow and change.
This boy, named Micah Peter, came screaming into the world on January 7, 2002 at 12:07 pm. He was the hairiest little Eskimo boy that I had ever seen! Seeing this picture again reminds me of how different he looked from the rest of our babies.
6 Month-ish
First fish at MBC
2007 - Five and a half and probably one of my most special pictures. This was a few month before cancer.
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Summer of 2008. Micah is 6 years old and in the middle of radiation and in the hospital for shingles. He was so tired. You can see the shingles by his tiger and his radiation burn on his abdomen underneath the tape from his port. That was a hard time for Micah.
 |
Spring of 2009. He was just starting to come off of the steroids, was done chemo and was cancer free!!!!
7 years old.
7 years old.
Summer of 2009. Still 7! Nads and Micah are such a sweet pair!They are at the hospital just outside the Art Therapy room. He is off of steroids here and was just starting to look like himself again! It was an exciting time! (o; (A few months before relapse.) 
May 2010. Micah is 8 years old here at my sister's wedding. It was a few months after his lung surgery and we were a month away from meeting Grace!
Summer of 2011. He is fully recovered from 2010. The intensity was back! (o; I love these! 9 years old. 
Almost 10 here!
11 years old - his first birthday in Grand Rapids.
12 years old
13 years old
14 years old - His first meeting with Tessa in the hospital. He was smitten right away
15 years old
So this is the closest to 16 years old that I could find that's decent! It's 4.5 months old, but close enough! I will add a birthday picture here when I get one.
It's only fitting to end with my favorite Psalm. Read it out loud. It's wonderful.
Psalm103 (ESV)
1Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
6 The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9 He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
13 As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;[a]
he remembers that we are dust.
15 As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
18 to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
22 Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
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