We had a very busy weekend at my house. You see, I know this guy, a really handsome guy, and he just so happened to have had a birthday Saturday! How does one celebrate moving from single digits to double digits? With a CAMP OUT, of course! THIRTEEN BOYS. Never Again. (Just kidding. Sort of.) They had such a great time.
I was just worried that these rowdy boys, all on a sugar induced high, would get hurt and I'd have to call their Momma's to come get them to rush them to the hospital with a broken arm. (I've recently discovered how quickly, easily, and almost innocently this kind of thing can happen.) I am very pleased to report that no one died or was seriously injured on my watch! They all ate entirely too much junk food. But, hey, what are friends for?
When I met my husband and things began to get serious, we started talking about things like how many kids we wanted. He made it very clear from the beginning that it was not an option for him to NOT have a son. You see, my husband's family name will die with him without a son (or two) to carry it on. He always warned that we would probably have twelve girls before we had a son, but, if that's what it took then that's what would have to happen. I always hoped that we'd have a boy by the time we got to my magic number of FIVE.
When we were pregnant with our first child, I absolutely KNEW that she was a girl. There was no ultrasound in the world that would have convinced me otherwise. And, I was right. And my husband thought, one down, eleven to go. When I became pregnant with our second child, things felt very different in subtle ways. These clues led me to believe that I was pregnant with a testosterone-filled BOY! Yep. I was right. We were very excited. My husband's family name will live on in this 7lb 2oz bundle of promise ( and eventually, his brother, as well)!
Suddenly, I was terrified! I didn't know the first thing about raising a boy. I'd had no brothers, only one sister. I remember crying to my husband, (pregnancy hormones) worried that I was going to fail miserably and turn him into a girl. My husband just laughed as he tried to comfort me. He said, "You don't have to teach him how to be a boy. He's already going to know. You've done a great job with our daughter. Do the same with him and it'll all be fine." Huh. I had my doubts, but guess what? It turns out that the boy in my new family knew what he was talking about. Our son came into this world fully knowing that he was supposed to love all things gross and dirty, smelly and rough. Who woulda thunk it?
Raising boys is SO much different than raising girls. I quickly came to the realization that I'm not raising a child, I am growing a man. Someone's future husband. It is such a high honor to be called in this way. The relationship I have with my sons is very different from what I have with my daughters. It can't really be explained, you just have to experience it. It's not more or less, it's just, well, different.
My oldest son is one of the most amazing people I have ever had the privilege to meet. Honestly. He is so complex, yet simple. He is very smart and learns very easily~ which makes home schooling him a dream. His sense of humor always surprises me. He loves to laugh and to make others laugh. One of my favorite memories of him was soon after he turned a year old. He was watching a movie and one of Wallace and Grommit's shorts came on before the movie. It was about an old man who was playing chess against himself. In one chair, the old man would make a move and then he'd get up, remove his false teeth, sit across the table and make another move. Drake thought this was VERY funny and to hear him in a deep belly laugh over something he saw on TV at such a young age made a lasting impression in my mind. He is also super emotional. He has always been very cognizant about how to make me feel loved, with a kiss, or a smile, or a kind word. From a very young boy, out of the blue, he would utter words to melt my heart~ "You're beautiful, Mom!" He also visits the other side of the spectrum. When he's disappointed he goes into full melt down mode. The most effective way to end it is with my arms around him in a tight hug. That's just how he rolls. He loves the Lord with all of his heart. I think out of all of my kids, he really GETS it. He's the one to most often lead the family in a prayer over our meals. He's the one that reads his Bible on his own. He is just so eager to live life. On his own terms. As his own person. And I love him. I cannot think of being able to love someone more. He is my boy. I am proud of him beyond words. And though I am enjoying this time of being his mother, one day, I will be excited to see him in another role~ a man, a husband, a Dad.
Happy Birthday, Drake! I pray that you live a LONG life, filled with an overflowing abundance of happiness, success, and LOVE! I pray that you can easily discern who your true friends are and that you learn to remain loyal and honorable throughout your life. I pray that you remember to always keep your feet firmly on The Rock. Never forget that you always have a place in my heart and my home. And that I will ALWAYS love you MORE. I will never love you less. There is nothing you could ever do that would make me stop loving you!
"True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life." Proverbs 22:4
"Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed." Proverbs 16:3
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