Good morning, Dear Siestas! We are still under reconstruction but it is taking longer than we hoped so we’re reopening comments until we get the heads-up that the switch really is about to take place. Thank you for your patience! I especially want those of you who have just now gotten your books and read your first three segments to be able to comment. Look back at last Thursday’s post and jump in there with us. Also expect your second week’s assignment tomorrow.
I wonder if I may beg your indulgence to be shamefully focused on one little person today. After all, I entered one of the happiest seasons of my life four years ago today. I’ve got a letter stirring in my heart that the recipient is way too young to read and probably won’t even see when he’s grown. We’ll have bigger fish to fry then. And if his Paw Paw has anything to do with it, those bigger fish really will have scales, slime, and fins. Still, a letter, because I can get some big feelings off my chest all the same. So, with your patience…
Dear Jackson Curtis Jones,
Today is your four year-old birthday! Yahoo! This is one of my favorite of all days! I have a few things I want to say to you, young man. Things you should be glad that I’m saying in print instead of in person since I’d probably bawl my head off and you’d find that pretty confusing. It will be a long time until you understand happy cries and, as the man you’ll surely one day be, you’ll probably never like them. All the same, you’ll have to put up with them to have women in your life. And, boy, do you have some women in your life. Mommy, Annabeth, Nana, Aunt Melissa, Aunt Lindsay, and me for family starters. Goodness knows, there’ll be more. Your mommy told me not long ago that she thought ahead about you getting your heart broken by a girl one day and got mad at her without even having a clue who she was or what she looked like. Woe be unto her. That’s all I can say. All six of us will be on her like mad, scratching cats.
But, back to today. Thank you, Jackson, for bringing a baby back into the life of someone drunk on babies. Thank you for reciprocating the happy love I felt for you by reaching your plump little hands out toward me by the time you were four months old. Thank you for a wild enthusiasm for life that has awakened every soul in your company. For things like pumping your fist in the air after we said “Amen” to grace over burgers. Jesus loves that. I’d also like to thank you for naming me Bibby. I just love it. Who would ever have thought of such a name but you? Thank you for saying it so many times. Thank you for being the reason why I found an old purse in the closet the other day that had a pull-up in it. (A clean one, thank goodness.) It sure has been a while since you needed a pull-up, hasn’t it? Mommy is so happy about that.
Thank you for bringing me a world of Hot Wheels and for teaching me how to race and how to make sounds like motors. Thank you for the love you’ve engendered in my heart for your lizard named Bernie. Thank you for bringing “Fruit by the Foot” back into my cupboard. For innumerable rounds of hide and seek and for the memory of the first time you really did count to ten before you said, “Ready or not! Here I come!” Thank you for giggling so loud wherever you hid that I always knew where not to look so we could make the game go a good, long time. Thank you for loving to be at Pappaw Keith’s and Bibby’s house here in Houston and at Nana and Pappaw Steve’s house in Missouri. You are a boy who has loved his grandparents and we are all four so much the better for it.
Thank you for the carseat in the back of my SUV and for crawling into it so often. Thank you for loving music and telling me to “turn it up, Bibby!” and for specially requesting David Crowder. Thank you for all the theological insights I’ve gained from your interpretations of the Bible stories your dad tells you. Thank you for wanting to grow up to be just like him and for actually putting it to words. He is a giant in your eyes…and in ours. Thank you for being firstborn to my firstborn. For making expressions that look just like her when she was your age. Thank you for thinking she’s so beautiful. I do, too. Thank you for helping her discover that she was really wonderful at something she’d never aspired to as a girl growing up. She actually planned to take care of animals. Not children. I will always find great amusement in the fact that yours was the first diaper she ever changed. To say you have changed her life in return is the biggest understatement we could make today.
Thank you for being the best big brother ever and to what is sure to become the next in a line of consummate drama queens. She adores you. She’s tougher than she would have been without you. And that’s a good thing.
Thank you, Jackson, for four of the most exciting, love-flooded years of my life. You, like your Mommy, your Aunt Melissa, your Sister and your Pappaw, have shoved your way into my every conscious thought.
We have waited all our lives for you, little Man-child. You were worth every second of it.
Happy Birthday, Jackson Jones. I’m playing hooky from work to play with you today. Let’s go buy a swing set!
I love you,
Bibby
Kristi Stewart 
Happy Birthday Jackson!
This MUST be a special day!!
Today my niece (Baylee) is 7 from my brother in law and sister in law…
AND
I had another neice (Piper) BORN TODAY from my sister!!!
AND
It is Michael Jordan's B-DAY!!!
Oh Happy Happy Birthday Jackson! You are growing up oh so fast. Have a BLESSED Day!
Love the letter Bibby:O) Something to cherish FOREVER!
Well since I can't see through my tear clouded eyes right now…I think the letter is a keeper! What a blessing indeed…I laughed and cried through this-it made me see so much of my own son is sweet Jackson…Enjoy celebrating such a precious blessing!!!
Happy Birthday Jackson!!! One day that little boy will be a man and love every single one of those words!!
Oh good grief! Now I am bawling!
Where are those dang tissues!?!
Happy Birthday Jackson……what a blessed little boy you are! Thank you, Beth, for sharing your heart….it makes my heart long for the day the Lord blesses me with some of my own. I love my children (28 and 25) so much I can't even begin to imagine the kind of love you have for your grandchildren. Can't wait to see the birthday pictures and the new swing set!
Darn it Beth, you put tears in my eyes once again! 🙂 What a proud Bibby you are. I ispire to be that one day. (If my son ever decides to settle down and get married!:) ). Thanks for sharing your love for Jackson with us!
Happy Birthday Jackson!! You are loved by a whole lot of women who have never met you!
April S.
Port Orchard, WA
Happy Birthday Jackson!! Thank you for adding to your Bibby's life and by that adding to ours. Thank you God for being such an awesome Father to us all and blessing us with little miracles so that we may glimpse your love for us.
This post is beautiful! My children have 4 sets of grandparents (through divorce and remarriage) and I have longed to have the love that you express here on this blog! I pray for it for my children to know they are loved on in a healthy way…I am just now grasping that love will come through God's church and will continue to pray and hope one day it will come through our own family. Crying tears of joy that your family is blessed in this way! Happy Birthday sweet boy 🙂
so sweet. read it with tears flowing down my cheeks. my little guy is 5 1/2 and we've been just ahead of the stories that have been posted about Jackson. I always smile and laugh about what he's into 🙂
chrystal
Thank you for sharing so much
"family love" with us.
Isn't it crazy how much the heart can stand?
I know that mad wild adoration that God puts in their for a mother/grandmother!
It's deep and neverending!
Makes me think….if I can be this in love with my kids….how much more is my King in love with me?
WOW!
Happy birthday handsome Jackson!
Oh, Beth
That letter makes me excited to be a grandma and my kids are only 5, 9 and 11. By no means am I not loving the stage I'm in or wanting that any sooner than necessary though.
Happy Birthday sweet little Jackson!
You may not cry when you read this many years from now…but there's a bunch of Siesta's (this one included) who are bawling right now!!
Melana
well shoot i have tears too as i read this … as i am preggo with our first baby who may or may not be named jackson (depending on if it's a boy or girl). i just said to my husband … our baby's will be the first diaper you change!! sniff! thanks for sharing your letter, bibby 🙂
I add my birthday wishes to Jackson. I am so glad he has so many to love him ad help him grow and love the Lord. I love that age – four is an incredible age – everything is new, fresh, and exciting!
Dearest Bibby:
Gran Jan wants to say this
most precious letter has touched my heart deeply. You are a treasure.
As a grandmother of less than two years myself, I resonate with the sheer JOY it contains. In fact, that's my blog name: Gran Jan's Joy!
Please print your letter and place it somewhere so Jackson Jones can read it one day. I started a journal when my Zeke was born and I write letters to him. I want to present it to him on his wedding day. He's 18 months old today!
Happy Birthday Jackson! You brighten so many lives.
Much Love, GJ
Amen and have at that swing set!
Peace,
Kim Feth
Apex, NC
Oh I love this!!!
Praying for that sweet boy today. May he grow in wisdom and love for Jesus!!!
Love you all!
What a sweet letter! Thank you for posting it so we could all share your feelings for Jackson. He's a blessed little boy.
Happy 4th Birthday, Jackson!
Oh the joy of being a grandmother to a wonderful little boy. I could identify so with all your great times with Jackson. I have a wonderful 14 yr old first born grand man-child that stole my heart the minute I laid eyes on him and played in just the same ways. Your letter to Jackson will mean so much to him in time.
Happy Birthday little Jackson!! Bless you dear Bibby (Beth) for sharing your thoughts with all of us.
Happy Birthday little man!
Today is my daddy's birthday too!
AND he retires this month so he'll get to spend lots more time with my little man who is almost 2.
You're so sweet Mama Beth to share such a tender moment with your grandson with all of us.
Heather G
Charlotte NC
My firstborn son shares Jackson's birthday. He is 26 years old today and loves living in Houston (teaches school). Happy Birthday to your sweet grandson.
Vera
Tremont, Illinois
Tears. Happy, sweet, adoring tears. I have my own grandson about to turn four in April. He's changed my life too. Please pray for his asthma to be healed, his mommy and daddy to get along enough through their divorce for him to know that he's still loved. Jackson is so so blessed to be so loved. Thank God for Bibby's like you….love you Beth.
This DID make me cry! Being a Mom of young kids who are also the first grand-children, I can totally relate to how you feel! And I love when Grandma plays hooky from work to shower love on one of MY prized possessions which has also become one of hers!
What a sweet birthday wish!
I wanted to apologize for calling you "happy doh dappy" in a recent blog post http://601hicksfamily.blogspot.com/2010/02/choose-joy.html
-but wanted to thank you for pulling me out of my crabby mood! 🙂
Happy Birthday, Jackson! You are well loved by your family. OH, how I love those boys! My son's B-day was yesterday and he was born on my B-day. I hope you had a wonderful time celebrating today!! God is sooo good!!
PS Amanda you may need a good pampering day after planning two b-days in one month!
Happy day indeed – hard to believe it has been 4 years!
What a beautiful letter. I cried like a baby! Happy Birthday Jackson!
Such a sweet letter!
Happy Birth day Jackson !!
I am happy to see this letter of Beth, showing she still going strong.
It is a reminder to do it for my children on thier milestones.
I wonder what I heard in our bible study yesterday about Beth's health situation is true .
Pass the Kleenex! Happy Birthday, Jackson! 🙂
Happy Birthday Jackson Jones!! I hope you've had a fantastic day! You are such a handsome little man. Take good care of your little sister! 🙂
Happy 4th Birthday, Jackson!
I'm a new Siesta and just discovered the blog "by accident" about 12 days ago. Since then I have gone back and read every entry posted. EVERY SINGLE ONE! I've laughed and cried so many times. Even though I'm a brand new, I feel like I've been part of this family of siesta's since the beginning. I thought my favorite post of all time was about Keith and his precious moon pies, but the movers vs. immovers gave it a run for its money! 🙂 Thank you Beth, Amanda, and Melissa for being so open, honest, and hilarious through this blog. It has touched me in ways you may never know. Finding this blog couldn't have come at a more needed time in my life. Much love to you all!
Donielle
Mt. Holly, PA
SO, so, so sweet! Happy birthday, Jackson. We enjoy watching you grow up here in blog-land.
see, what i love about being a "youngin" in siestaville, is all the amazing ideas i get like birthday letters for my future family. i started doing this for the 4 kids i nanny for, but how much more special it will be when it is my own babies!!
and i am no where near married (or dating for that matter) but i have a "husband box" full of things like this-cards i have bought for special occasions but not yet written in, and sweet words and letters that i am saving for the one who steals my heart as He points me to Christ with His love. (one day…) and until then, i'm adding "birthday letters" to the future of the box
thanks for the legacy of loving well that your family is already leaving-what a beautiful thing for us to witness..love you all
I understand your love and your joy; as God has blessed me with our beloved, precious, cherished adopted grandson who turns 2 years-old this Friday. Not only that, He blessed us with a granddaughter who also consumes our hearts, minds, and souls with indescribable love and joy every single day. God blesses BIG, doesn't He? I am Julie's mother…she asked me to read your 2/17/10 posting because she said it reminded her of me…it does because you are experiencing the same kind of blessings through your family as I am with mine! God is SO AMAZINGLY AWESOME!!!! I bet you go to sleep every night, as I do, with a smile in your heart thinking about your grandson! In Christ – Marianne.
Aweeeee. 🙂
That is one blessed little boy! What an awesome letter!
(Sniff,sniff, tear, tear)
Oh my, what a blessing you all are to each other.
HaPpy BiRtHDaY, JaCkSon!!!
(Sniff,sniff, tear, tear)
Oh my, what a blessing you all are to each other.
HaPpy BiRtHDaY, JaCkSon!!!
(Sniff,sniff, tear, tear)
Oh my, what a blessing you all are to each other.
HaPpy BiRtHDaY, JaCkSon!!!
That's what I'm talking about 🙂
Happy Birthday, Jackson!
A very tender letter, Bibby! Good job putting into words what all grandmas feel for that first grandbaby who names them (we have Mimi in our family) and revives the wonder of childhood for the whole family!
Happy birthday to Jackson and have fun celebrating!!!!
A very tender letter, Bibby! Good job putting into words what all grandmas feel for that first grandbaby who names them (we have Mimi in our family) and revives the wonder of childhood for the whole family!
Happy birthday to Jackson and have fun celebrating!!!!
A very tender letter, Bibby! Good job putting into words what all grandmas feel for that first grandbaby who names them (we have Mimi in our family) and revives the wonder of childhood for the whole family!
Happy birthday to Jackson and have fun celebrating!!!!
Happy Birthday, Jackson! I love that he named you Bibby. I think grandparent names given by the granchildren are the most endearing and adorable. I hope you had a great day together!
Oh, Beth- what a fabulous gift for Jackson this day- A letter he can always have from his Bibby demonstrating how much he is loved – I had a very special grandmother who blessed my life and the imprint will always be with me- God Bless you and your loved ones, enjoy your precious grandson and thanks for sharing your joy- Kathy, Austin