three pounds sixteen and a half inches

My first born, my only son, turns fourteen years old today. How can this be?

His life has been an adventure from the very beginning – so let’s start there. This boy decided to arrive early. He came fast and furious on a Saturday afternoon at thirty-two weeks gestation. His daddy rushing in the room moments before his grand arrival and at less than an hour old, he took his first helicopter ride pulling off the oxygen mask because… that’s my son.

He is the most independent child that ever graced the earth. He has always done things his way. He’s confident and stands tall in the skin God created for him. He knows he’s smart (and oh my word alive, he is smart!) and he knows he was created with great purpose. I remember the first time I truly realized he was a leader and had a unique restraint to peer pressure. Kindergarten. Yes, when he was five, the school secretary called me with our son in the office not feeling well. She told him she wanted to take his temperature and he respectfully refused and said, “No, you cannot take my temperature, I want you to call my mom.”. Some may have heard this and thought he was being noncompliant and demanding. I knew at that moment, no one- NO ONE – will ever talk him into something. Please know, I am aware the world is harsh and there may be a day he is fooled or coursed into doing something. But, can I be Mama-honest? I don’t think he will. He’s hard headed beyond belief. I’m thankful for that hard head, that sureness, that unwavering confidence. With maturity, experience, and time this character trait continues to evolve into a strength and a realm of creativity beyond my imagination.

Creative.

If I only had one word to describe him, I would chose creative. He can draw anything beautifully and effortlessly. He loves to design and sketch on graph paper. He’s a perfectionist in his art and you will find more crumpled up paper than finished pieces. He is an unbelievable gift to me and to this world. I can’t wait to see how his passions and talents morph from just something to do into a way he lives his everyday life. Sometimes people get the chance to live in their gifting-a way of life. I truly believe he will be one of those. And let’s be real, he does not like being told what to do. He may have to be an entrepreneur! That’s the character I know will propel him in this life. He will take this force that’s God-given within him and radically change this world. Sure, I would love if he listened more and was maybe just sometimes compliant- but in the same breath, I don’t. I never want that stubborn confidence to weaken, dim, or eventually become non-existent. I want to water, nurture, and intentionally foster the way that God made him. He is uniquely and wonderfully made and I love everything about him.

His smile – Oh, how it lights up a room and his laugh is nothing short of contagious. His voice is soft and he is slow to anger. When he speaks, he wants to be heard because he doesn’t just talk. He shares what’s important and interesting to him. He loves to have fun, sleep late, and watch funny movies. He’s my favorite boy in all the world and I am honored and take seriously my responsibility to love and be silly with this young man… who by the way has a mustache and is now quite taller than me.

He began as a miracle and continues to be one in the life of our family. He challenges me and I learn from him daily. His compassion for humanity is quiet, but beautiful. He is my layer kid. You think you get what you see, but he is so deep and lovely.

A funny story I just have to share. He was probably about six years old. He says, “Hey mom, you know that lady that works at Grammy’s salon? The one with the eye patch?” I responded, “No, I don’t think anyone at Grammy’s salon wears an eyepatch.” To which he says, “Well, if there was, I bet you she’s a pirate!”. He’s silly, creative, literal, and sees the world very black and white while splashing color all over the place.

Watch out world – this fourteen year old is about to change the atmosphere.