So, I haven't been trapped under a pile of elephants in Africa.
Nor have I succumbed to Indonesian swine flu.
I have not fallen off the face of the planet.
I just haven't blogged in ages.
I shall try to repent.
What better way to renew my ties with blogging than a post celebrating my double digit boy.
Todd's birthday was today, though we celebrated yesterday because a birthday on Sunday just wasn't going to hack it for our adventurer.
Todd is an amazing kid. Truly he is. He was a miracle ten years ago and is still a blessing in our lives today. I sometimes feel sorry for the kid that he has to be my first, because I feel like he gets all my practice and failure as a mom. I know I put a ton of expectation and pressure on him because he is my oldest, and because I haven't had enough kids that I can thoroughly spread my anxiety over many. So he gets the brunt of it, but usually holds up pretty well under all that weight.
I know I spend a lot of time thinking about, praying for, and loving this growing boy of mine. Hopefully he'll make it through in spite of my best laid plans. . .
Todd is a great reader, if he is caught in a book. If he isn't interested, no amount of persuasion could get him to read. If he loves a book, you can't get him to put it down.
Todd is a great aim with the B.B. gun. He loves shooting at a favorite little spot we've found in the desert. Last month we ran into a herd of wild horses while out there. They were beautiful. Todd shot our 9 mm a few weeks ago out in the desert and was quickly convinced that he's happy with the smaller caliber for now.
My medium man is a great swimmer, eagerly anticipating the start of this summer season. We're excited to see what it will bring.
Guitar is the latest venture for Todd. It has been exciting to see him find a new skill--he's always had an ear for music and melody, but he claims that singing is a "girly" talent. Little does he know that in ten years that talent will cause girls to swoon. So, it's been fun to see some practical application of his talent that he doesn't think is too girly. I hope he can be patient enough with the learning process to stick with it.
Those are some of Todd's "outward" talents, but some of his other gifts are what really makes him who he is.
Todd is great with kids. He's not all that interested with brand new babies, but once they start to interact, he loves them. A friend of ours has a little two year old who we occasionally watch. A few weeks ago, Todd and Ben were fighting over who got to play with Abby. They were both blaming the other for "hogging her." I thought that was so sweet.
Todd is an amazing big brother. These three years of homeschooling have been a gift in this respect--Todd loves his brother and is truly a fantastic protector and friend.
My boy is sensitive with a tender heart and a giving soul. He loves to have people over for dinner and take bread to friends. He is easily concerned when others are struggling. We're grateful to have him as part of our family.
It's a challenge at times to raise a growing boy. . .I'm glad I wrote this post to remind me of all the good I see in my boy and to overlook the things that are sometimes rough. What a blessing my Todd is in my life.
