Britt,

It is so hard to believe you are 10 years old.  I feel like I say that every year, but you are into double digits now.
You have made such strides this year.  Last Christmas, just before last year's letter, Ruth got you a Zelda game.  More than anything else it has made you work at reading so that you can figure out where to go next in the game.  I never would have dreamed what you needed to get you excited about reading and to make you practice reading was a video game.  You are starting to get more speed and better comprehension of what you've read.  Even if the fluency is still lacking.  It will come.  Your spelling has gotten much better, and I am seeing fewer letter and number reversals.  I think the move to using cursive more and more has helped with that.


You also had some OT this year, though since it was scattered, they have started you over with the full number of free seasons.  We saw huge gains in your coordination, and that right brain-left brain connection.  Which lead to much improvement in your baseball last spring.  The baseball sign-ups in our new town where the beginning of December.  (What in the world was with that!) So you all will be missing ball this spring, but they have a fall season, so perhaps we'll let you all play fall ball.


This past year, brought another layoff for your Daddy, but this time he found a new job pretty quickly, thank the Lord.  It meant another move, which you all took pretty badly.  However, we are close enough to our old town to be able to visit some with friends still.  You all seem to really enjoy the big farmhouse.  And since setting up a big table in your room for legos and writing stuff, you really like doing your school work there, with your porch door open for the breeze and your radio on.  I'm so happy that you are beginning to work more independently.














You also love having woods to wander through, in fact, you spent much of this afternoon adventuring with Ruth and Rebecca.  All this space out in the country has meant that we could have animals again, so you have several 4-H projects this year.  You have hatched eggs, raised chicks, and surprised me with how much you have enjoyed the chickens.  You have also raised a hog, Bilbo Piggins, that will go to the fair in a few short weeks.


You remain the best of brothers, a real blessing in how much you care for and do for your siblings.  You are a live wire, full of energy and ideas, moving and talking without stopping.  You are the dream of big dreams, inventions and electricity, and robotics.  You are the one most of all that listens to the sermons and mulls over them for days.  You are independent and hate to be directed, wanting to explore it all and figure it all out yourself.  You can be exasperating, but you are also a real joy.  You have a quirky sense of humor and can be really entertaining.


Don't be afraid to do the hard things.  It makes you a better person, and it is rewarding.  We love you very much, and pray that you will seek to do what is pleasing and honoring to the Lord.

Love,
Momma