Sixteen Candles

 

(My apologies for any neck pain the position of this picture might cause.  The original format of this picture is NOT landscape, but evidently my blog and my pictures don't want to play nicely.  I don't have time to encourage their cooperation.)

He was born December 6, 1997 and tomorrow, he will be sixteen years old.  Forgive me for sounding cliché, but it is the gospel truth when I tell you that this happened too fast.  We had the same amount of days in these sixteen years that everyone else has had...all 5,840 of them.  But I can still feel the weight of his newborn self in my new mommy arms!  To be fair, he tipped the scales at a healthy 9lbs. 11oz.!  I remember being utterly amazed and hopelessly, shamelessly and scandalously in love...at first sight!   So much about the day he was born is as clear to my mind as if it were just yesterday but here we are...sixteen years later.

He has been the answer to so many of my prayers.  He has also been the inspiration of so many of my prayers!  When I was a little girl, I used to dream about having my own family...about being The Mama and doing all the things that I thought The Mama should do.  I dreamt about my children and in all honesty, I can tell you that this Man-Child of mine is the proof that dreams do come true.  Far from perfect and that's ok because I do not know how to raise a perfect child.  God Almighty gave that job to Mary and Joseph!  He is kind and compassionate; loving and FUNNY.  He is so very bright and quick witted...gets that from his daddy.  He's a GOOFBALL...double whammy from both parents.  He is talented beyond his own understanding.  He is BEAUTIFUL...blue eyes that snap and dance when he's happy...or when he's up to mischief.  To this day, I still find myself wondering how I got so lucky....what I might have ever done to deserve the blessing of his blue-eyed self in my life?

His time under our roof is fleeting.  I type that and it makes me want to cry!  All part of the natural order of things...child is born, child grows up, child leaves home to make his way in the world...but it's still a bittersweet pill to swallow.  Will he be ready?  Will we have done everything that we should have done to make him ready?  Will he know what to do when the trials come...because they will.  As I said...he is the inspiration for many of my prayers.

So, Dearest Firstborn Son, my wishes for you on this the eve of birthday #16 aren't much different than the wishes I wished...the hopes I hoped...the prayers I prayed...on the first day we met.  May the joy outweigh the sorrow...may love speak louder than hate...may laughter come quicker than tears...may friends outnumber enemies...may your blessings outshine your burdens.

And may you marry a wonderful, beautiful, intelligent, Christ seeking, Southern girl and give me grandbabies galore!