Coleman Joe, Age 4

Here is a brief account of our Coleman at age 4.

*Coleman loves pretending. Favorites are any superhero (Spiderman especially), Buzz Lightyear, firemen, knights, and of course pirates. He and Andrew have been on a "secret spy" kick lately which has them sneaking around the house looking for bad guys.

*Favorite foods include macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, baked beans (hot dog beans), noodles or pasta of almost any sort, apples, and grapes. He loves a cheeseburger from McDonald's and a Sprite is a huge treat!

*Coleman is still a big helper in the kitchen. Whenever I am cooking, especially with the mixer, he is right there to help out. He loves to watch our creations as they bake in the oven, and then proudly tells the family that he helped make our dinner.

*Outside is his most favorite place to be. He loves riding his bike, playing on the playground, or helping Brent with the yardwork. He still follows along with our toy lawnmower and his little blower matching his daddy step for step. The Gatorade breaks they take together are so sweet, and you can tell that Coleman is eating up this "guy time" with his dad.

*Coleman's best friends are his brothers. He is such a great "magic link" between our oldest and youngest. He plays equally well with them both, and they both love his company. Every morning, as soon as Jonathan is out of bed, Coleman comes over to love on him and say good morning. He and Andrew have an occasional blowup over something, but two minutes later they are right back to buddies. The middle is not an easy place to be, but Coleman is figuring it out pretty well.

*At preschool each day, when we pick Jonathan up from his class, Coleman holds his hand as we walk out. I hear him ask without fail, "JonJon, did you have a good day today?"

*Another thing that cracks us up is Coleman's use of the phrase, "Awww, Nuts!" As in, "Awww, Nuts! I swallowed my gum!" It is such a frequently used expression, that now we often hear Jonathan saying, "Aww, Nuss!"

*Adrenaline could well have been his middle name. Fast, faster and fastest are his favorite speeds. He loves tubing behind the boat, or zooming down the hill on his trike. Bravery seems to come naturally to Coleman as he will try anything once. Not even a flu shot scares this boy!

*This year brought the addition of Coleman's glasses. We are so thankful to have them, and so is he. At first we were unsure of how well he would wear them, but he keeps them on almost all the time without prompting. Before January, we would never have thought of Coleman as missing something, but these little fames just finish him off perfectly. Everyone who meets him tells us how much they love his glasses.

*He seems to be very artistically and musically inclined. Painting is still one of his favorite activities. He sings very well, and loves to try to do Andrew's practice exercises for music class.

*Blue is most definitely his favorite color.

*Coleman has a passion for life like almost no one I have ever known. Whatever he is doing, he is doing it one hundred percent. If he is happy, he is the happiest person you can find. If he is not, he is the most unhappy person you can find. He is one of the most loving children God ever created. When he is in a snuggly, cuddly mood, there is nothing better. His compassion is precious. If someone is hurt or crying, he expresses concern and lovingly pats them on the arm or back until everything is okay.


Coleman, your middle name Joseph, means "God will increase." We are already watching Him do just that as you grow into a bigger boy. Our prayer is that you will continue to increase in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man, just like Jesus did. Your favorite song is "Great and Mighty is the LORD our God, Great and Mighty is He." We love that these words are being carved into your heart each time you sing them. We pray you never forget the truth of this preschool song. We cannot wait to see the mighty man of God you will grow to be, and the great things you will do for Jesus. As precious as you are to us, you are more so to Him. We love you so much Coleman!

"This is the LORD's doing. It is marvelous in our eyes."
Psalm 118:23