Nineteen Years ....

.... is almost too many to be fathomable.

Son #2 turned 19 on Wednesday.

So this post is dedicated to him, how much he's changed, how much he's grown and how much he's matured over the last few years.
I will try to post a "normal-ish" post soon to update you on other things, like my joints, my tennis (!), Camp Widow, the SUPREME ass (it's ok, it's in the Bible) who ran into my car yesterday, etc.
But today belongs to Son #2.
:)

                                              Happy Daddy, happy baby:

                              A very common pose amongst the males on Jim's side of the family:

             He's kind of hard to see here, but this was on a visit to Tulsa, the day before we drove back home.  We didn't know it then (he looks VERY happy in this picture) but the day after we were to get home Son #2 would end up in the hospital with pneumonia.  Even sick, he was happy.  For a brief moment in time anyway.  :)

                           On the Oregon coast the week he turned 1:

                                  In NYC, getting ready to go ride the ferris wheel inside Toys R Us:

                        In Italy, showing off his first euro:

                 Looking very dapper at dinner on a cruise:

                                    A birthday pic:

                         In Italy, sucking down what-would-not-be-his-last glass of wine.  Sigh .....

                 In Venice ..... wearing really ugly rats with wings, otherwise known as pigeons:

          In San Diego, after a hat-buying-trip to Disneyland, feeding his cousin:

                Trying to show me how "hot" he really is.  He. Will. Croak. When. He. Sees. This. Picture.
                             Seriously:

          Spring break, 3 months after Jim died (and the "Dead Husband Diet" had hit with a vengeance:  

                               Showing some brotherly love with Son #3:

            On Jim's parents' farm, back when he was around 3. Jim was teaching him out to target shoot with a bb gun, one of their favorite pastimes on the farm:

         Passed out cold at Thanksgiving dinner.  Must've OD'd on the tryptophan.

      Still learning to shoot at an Indian Guides campout (before the YMCA got all "politically correct").  This appears to have been a family campout because I'm on the other side of them, holding Son #3.

Another Indian Guides campout (without moms, their favorite kind).  Yes, he does have a marshmallow on the end of that log.  Overkill much?

     Him, reading a bedtime story to Jim after he had tucked Him into the rocking chair all snuggly.

                            Ummmm, yeah.  There used to be much wrestling in our house:

                                   Pre-K graduation:

                      Thanksgiving in Oklahoma, holding the same cousin he was feeding in an earlier pic:

     I have no earthly idea.  But if I had to make a guess I'd say that "somebody" was getting a good "talking-to" for doing something "somebody" should not have done (on a cruise):

                                  Brotherly bonding in the pool:

                      Hanging out with the family in Anchorage.  Hanging with .... not listening to:

                        Half-way up a mountain on our last day in Alaska (which would turn out to be our last vacation together.  Jim died 6 months later so the Alaska pics are bittersweet).

        Christmas Day, when both guys evidently received awesome hats (?!).  Jim is showing him out to put a toy together.   I'm not sure if the goggles helped with that, or hindered.  But the tool belt and gloves made EVERYTHING work.  :)

         One of many fishing trips at a pond (the locals who don't know better call it a lake. LMBO!) across the street from our house:

     Salmon fishing outside of Anchorage:

    With D#2 and Jim at the Forum in Rome:

                    Our first trip to Disneyland (in California):

           One of our trips to Disney World (in Florida).  Note the happy-go-lucky face on Son #2.  This kind of picture was a staple on every single one of our vacation.  SER.I.OUS.LY.

                          The proud cousin with the aforementioned cousin.  Son #2 has always loved children and is amazing with them.  He will be a wonderful father someday.

                       Ummmmm, I think this is one of those "I'm less than thrilled that you want to take my picture, even if it is my 14th birthday!" pictures:

      See?  Much easier in the years before teenage-hood:

             Christmas morning .... with a spy camera:

    Parent's Weekend at the Marine military academy:

          Time with Mom, away from the school:

                  Showing the parents how much work it is:

                   Relaxing at the hotel:

                He looks amazing in a uniform:

          ESPECIALLY this one:

                One of his favorite pastimes at the lake .... with one of his biggest catches:

                                    Basketball days:

                     Parents' Weekend:

                            His "post-cruise" look.  I love it!

                               Another favorite pastime at the lake:  jet skiing:

                                Learning the bongos at Disney World:

                     Going off of our rope swing at the lake:

                                       "Working attire" at the lake:

          
                    And these are from this birthday.  It took a bit of pleading, but the smile was worth it.

I cannot believe that he is 19 now.  Part of me is stunned at the thought of 19 years.
Part of me cannot believe that we've lived here for over 20 years.

It seems that it was only yesterday when he he informed me, at the ripe old age of 7, that he, as a citizen of the United States, had the right to be free, and in being "free" he should not "have" to attend school and all of the cumbersome classes, homework and projects that would entail.  Of course one part of me agreed with him, and felt badly that he had to endure so much that he didn't give two cents about.  But the rest of me knew that no 7 year old is as "free" as he thinks he is, and that as a mother .... as this boy's mother .... I was in for a very long, very wild roller coaster ride!
And boy has it ever been long and wild.

There were many times when I didn't know if he'd make it to his 19th birthday.
There were many times when I didn't know if I'd make it to his 19th birthday.

But here we are.
Both of us.
He and I.
Here.
In spite of him.
In spite of me.
In spite of Jim not being here.
In spite of .... so much.

And here is a pretty great place.
He is a pretty great 19 year old.
He is a wonderful son.
And a wonderful young man.

And he will be a wonderful Marine.
I am so proud of him and so full of love for him.

And so is Jim.
:)