Happy Birthday to Yoooouuuuu!!!!

I would like to wax philosophical for a moment, for today, is a momentus kind of day. My son, my baby, my last child has just turned double digits. The Big 1-0 people. And it makes me feel proud, and sad, and excited all at the same time. My children were born into a tainted marriage, but I have somehow managed to raise them with a filtered love full of possibilities and encouragement. I shield them from the things they are too young to understand, and this gives their hearts room to love unconditionally in all aspects of their lives. I shield them without blocking them, and I love them without impeding them. When they are happy I laugh with them, when they are sad I cry with them and hold them, when they are scared I protect them and when they are disappointed I remind them tomorrow is full of brand new possibilities. When they piss me off I remind them, Because I'm the mom and I said so!

My son, Sam is an incredible kid. He is handsome, first of all. Like, the kind of handsome that you just know could end him up on Sixteen & Pregnant if I’m not really, really careful. And he is smart. Like Rainman-Whoppner-is-on-in-five-minutes-i-don’t-like-Kmart-underwear smart. The kid can add like he sees calculators where most of us see trees. And he enjoys learning, which makes me even more proud as a mom. He is compassionate and kind (most of the time) and although he struggles with ADHD, there are these calm moments when he just looks at you and your heart instantly melts, and you can’t help but to fall in love with him. He is protective of his mama, annoying to his sister, endearing to small children and animals and the best son I ever could have hoped for. He is an athlete, and although he gets easily frustrated when he can’t instantly master something, he keeps going until he knows he is doing his best. Thus far, I have had the honor of watching him play football and basketball, and the intensity and the heart that he puts into it when he is playing is second to none. Oh, and he’s GOOD. Like mama might be able to buy a new house instead of pay for college because he could get a scholarship, good.

Sam is the kind of kid who will frustrate you to the point that you wonder if there is any way any child could possibly have any less common sense. He will leave wrappers and crumbs all over the kitchen no matter how many times you remind him to clean it up. If you ask him to throw something out, he will take it to the next room and leave it just out of your sight. He likes to jump out of dark corners to share the bejesus out of his sister and then laughs. He gets in trouble at school sometimes for the most ridiculous things, like smacking his sister in the back of the head in the lunch line because she told him the 6th grade girl that likes him must be mental. Or he gets in trouble for things like having to be the loudest person in the room and talking over people. I mean, really, he is 10. And a boy. ‘Nuff said. He is dirty, at times smelly, always messy, and always way too loud. But he is MY son. And I love him more than I love to breathe. He is mine.















The aforementioned sister - WORD!



Sam is a child that was never supposed to exist (thanks to Cervical Cancer when I was 22) and he was a child I never knew I wanted. But from the first time I saw his angelic and beautiful face, I couldn’t remember what my life was like before him.

He makes me crazy, and frantic, and happy, and amazed every day. I have no doubt he will grow to be an incredible young man. And if he ever loves another woman even remotely the way he loves his mama, she will be a lucky woman. So, to my amazing son, I love you. Happy 10th Birthday to the most incredible little man I know.

(PS. He probably won’t see this for like, weeks, because mom and Tim got him a PSP for his birthday and he has entered another dimension. Hopefully somewhere in between his MLB virtual playoffs and his NCAA Football game, I can get him to take the earbuds out long enough to read this!)

















The Man, The Myth, The Video Game Player - and the Birthday Boy!