Almost 14!

 To Our Oldest Son,

Tomorrow you will turn 14. Next year's birthday will bring your driving permit and the following year your driver's license. 4 birthdays from now you'll be off to school to become a game warden OR to fish the Elite Series, on your way to becoming a professional angler. But, it seems like just yesterday that I was holding you in the hospital, in awe of your little newborn fingers and toes.

They say you don't truly know what love is until you have kids and I believe that to be true. We've had an undeniable bond ever since you were born and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. Your birth was so easy, but when you got so sick as a newborn, I quickly learned how strong and resilient you were.

I see that same strength and resilience today. Sometimes I feel that you take backseat to your brother's athletic talent and quick wit. You get the brunt of things sometimes. Yet you grin and bear it and move on, while I overcompensate. I do that because I don't want you to ever see yourself as less than anybody else. You have SO much going for you!

You absolutely amaze me with your wealth of information. Whether it be sports stats, fishing lure action or historical war facts, you have a memory that I am incredibly envious of! I tell you all the time that you could be a sports commentator and I mean it. You know more than most adults do about almost every sport.

God blessed you with a beautiful singing voice and musical ability (and ability to remember the correct lyrics...unlike your mom and little brother). I love sitting next to you in church and listening to you sing the worship songs/hymns. But when you pull out your guitar to play and sing...be still my heart! You could easily make it in the music industry (although I pray that that isn't something you do because it can be an ugly world).

Your ability to fish the way you do has me in awe. From what I've heard, it's hard to go to new fishing spots and catch fish, yet you make it look easy. You spend all your extra money on lures and rods/reels. But the way you research them and then use them to catch fish is so cool to me. Yes, I do get tired of hearing about them or watching lure "action" but it's because that's not my thing. It'd be like me talking to you about the romance novels I read. You would be bored. But that doesn't mean I don't find the way you use all this information to follow your passion extremely interesting because I do.

You're at a quirky age. I get it. At times I see the little boy in you come out in your silly ways. At other times I see you working toward adulthood when you'd rather surround yourself with older people instead of people your own age. You're starting to find your way in this big world. You're talking more about your future goals and adulthood. You're starting to mature in the way you handle difficult situations. While all of this makes me incredibly happy, a part of me is sad because it means you're growing up.

I have loved all stages on your life, watching you grow and learn. But I really like this current stage. I love watching you become a gentleman (Buying me flowers with your own money the other day at Kroger is something I hope I remember forever because it meant the world to me!), learning to put others first. I love your sarcastic sense of humor that I so easily relate to because I have the same off-kilter humor. I love how passionate you are about so many things. I love how protective you are of your dogs, checking on them every night before you go to bed to make sure they're both ok. I love that you are such an awesome big brother, teaching E things and watching out for him. I love that you still enjoy cuddling with me and that you talk to me more than the average teenage boy talks to his mom about so many different things. I don't take for granted how open you are with me.

Kid, you're going to make it in this world! You'll have bumps and bruises along the way, but you have everything it takes to make it. I pray daily that you'll live a life that is pleasing to God and that you will grow closer to Him even when the circumstances aren't ideal for growth. You do that and you'll go far in life!

I am so very proud of you, the kid that you were and the man you are becoming. I love you with every ounce of my being and hope I show that to you every day (even though you're the one who is so quick with "I love you Mama".) You are so, so incredibly special and one of a kind. God hit it out of the park when He created you and please know that you have blessed so many people with your 14 years here on Earth. You are loved beyond measure! Thank you for giving me my most important job title in life...Mom. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Love,

Mom (aka Mama, Bruh)