Happy Birthday, Son!

I’ve always thought that, while a birthday is most certainly a personal celebration for the one whose birth anniversary is being celebrated, in many cases (such as mine), the mother also has a personal (and usually private) celebration of the same event.

Several years ago today, I became a mother. It was and is, without question, the most incredible, miraculously amazing blessing anyone could ever experience. It is a true picture of God’s amazing grace, that he would bless me, so undeserved, with motherhood. My two children are my constant reminder of how much God loves me. My son was my firstborn, and so it is that with his birthday each year, I celebrate the anniversary of my greatest blessing, becoming a mother.

Our son has always been a constant, and when I say constant, I mean constant, source of joy for his parents. It would be impossible to count the ways he has brought us joy.

Being a bit picture-obsessed, there are hundreds of pictures accessible on my computer. But for the sake of the reader, I’ll bring out only a few (and when I say “few,” I mean many).

Happy Birthday, Sweetest of all Sons.

1970 (4 months-first studio picture)

 

1971 (almost 8 months—eyes still blue—later green)

 

1971-First Birthday (people trying to sign him up for football—look at that body!!)

 

1972—loved that Wonder Horse (and Dad’s USMC “cover”)

 

1973 (age 3) (People encouraging me to let him be a model—I don’t think so!)

 

Age 5

 

12th birthday

 

Played French horn in band

 

Age 12 (in high school band already)

 

Age 13

 

Age 14, with sister, as they were together in several stage productions (this one, singing “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” from “Annie Get Your Gun”)

 

Freshman Science Fair, First Place

 

Celebrating 16th birthday Argentine Style while visiting family in Argentina.

 

Christmas after turning 16, driving his Mustang for sister (Miss Merrie Christmas) in Christmas Parade—a proud brother moment.

 

Junior Prom (picture with sister)

 

Performing First-Place Humorous Duet (many, many trips with the Speech Team and National Forensics League)

 

High School Tennis Team Junior and Senior Years (picture taken for local newspaper)

 

Senior Pictures

 

1988 High School Valedictorian

 

18th birthday

 

Off to college—dorm room

 

Loved to fish during summers

 

1989 Back to College

 

1990-Met the Love of his life, Kristy

 

1991-Married the Love of his life

 

1992-College Graduation (with Honors)- (three years later, Master’s Degree from Seminary)

 

1993-Birth of his firstborn, Tory

 

1995-Birth of his son, Conner

 

2012-High School Graduation, Tory

 

2014-High School Graduation, Conner

 

Did I mention how thankful I am that God chose to bless me immeasurably with a wonderful family! Thank you, Lord!