Happy 22nd Birthday ....

 .... to one of the best young men I know.

I am so blessed.  In ways too numerous to list.

But I can tell you the very most important ways.

There are 6 of them.

Yes, sometimes they don't seem like blessings as much a curse.  :)

And sometimes I/we wondered what the heck God was thinking when He decided we should have 6 blessings.

                    Jim is Santa (but don't tell my kids!):

But I know.

I know without a shadow of a doubt.

Jim and I needed our hearts to enlarge.

And they did.

With the birth of each child our hearts grew bigger to hold more love.

Anyone who has more that one child knows that's true.

                          

When you're expecting your second child you wonder how it will be physically and emotionally possible to love another child as deeply and fully and completely as you love your first born.  You doubt that it's possible and you get a bit worried.

And then the day comes when that new little life is placed in your arms and you completely forget what you had been worried about.  Your heart grows in an instant and your new child snuggles right into that new space.

And so it happens with each child who comes to join your family.

I can remember being pregnant with Son #1, and not knowing for sure if he'd be a boy or a girl.  All I had was girl stuff.  All I knew was girls.  I didn't think I could handle a boy.  I didn't think I wanted a boy.  Another girl would've just slid right into the mix and we would've moved forward in all of our pink and french braid glory.

And then, the very second that they placed Son #1 into my arms, my heart grew again ..... and as I gazed into his beautiful eyes I wondered, "Now why didn't I want a boy?"  And I couldn't remember.   And was so thrilled and grateful and blessed by him.

And I still am.

Yes, he can sometimes look very much like Jim.

And yes, he can sometimes act very much like Jim.

But only sometimes.

He is his own man.

With his own dreams, his own future, his own abilities and talents.

He is a man I love fiercely.

He is also a man I'm learning to respect, admire and trust when I need someone to turn to.

His ideas are his.

We don't always share them.

His dreams are his.

I don't always understand them.

But I will fight to the death to protect him .... and them.

Just as I would for each of the other 5.

God knew that my heart would always need to be full of a lot of love.

He knew exactly what He was doing when he gave us these 6 amazing human beings to raise for Him.

He knew that the day would come when the only thing that would keep me alive was the love I have for them .... and their love for me.

God saw the big picture.

I am so thankful that I did not.

So thank you, God, for looking beyond my thoughts of more pink .... and blessing us with YOUR choice for our family.

A choice that has never been anything but a blessing that is more than I could've fathomed or hoped for.

Happy Birthday, Son #1.

You are a wonderful, caring, sarcastically hilarious, compassionate, justice-seeking, Mom-helping man and you will make a difference in this world.  

And I am beyond blessed to be your Mom .... and watch you grow.  I look forward to seeing those differences you'll be making.

I love you so very much.

Dad and I are VERY proud of you.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

oooooooooooooooooooooo