Today Michael celebrates turning 9. So hard to believe
when I look back at this picture of my first image of my second son.
He
was just three and still had the toddler fat in his hands and the cute
indentions where his knuckles eventually would fill. I love those
precious little paddies (my grandma’s word for precious baby hands). I
remember rubbing my fingers over his soft smooth hands in those first weeks and
months as we grew together as a family, and as a mother and son.
Michael was so little to me back then and now I look at him
and think he’s grown up in the blink of a moment. Michael continues to be
our full of energy, funny, keeps-ya-constantly-guessing kid. He’s always
been our one to push boundaries, question why things are the way are, and
challenge why they can’t be a different way. I think it is this
personality that is going to take him very far in life. Not one to just
accept the answer at face value, he needs to understand the why and to question
if there is a “this can be better” solution waiting to be discovered.
I tell Michael one day he’ll either be a great politician,
lawyer, or professional debater because he can find an a particular view point
that hasn’t been thought of and discuss it to the end of time. As a
stubborn mother who likes things done her way (I fully admit), this sometimes
means Michael and I go round after round on multiple topics a day. As much as
he can test my patience, make me want to shout, “because I said so, isn’t that
a good enough reason?”, I know someday this trait is going to be the difference
between him giving up or persevering through…. And we all know life
sometimes tests us in ways we want to give up, but can’t. I will never worry
about Michael giving up on something he feels strongly about.
This past year we’ve seen Michael grow and change, struggle
and thrive as he grows from a kid into an older child. He’s excited about
the next stage that awaits, asking me if he can start puberty this summer (like
you start a class or an exercise program). I told him it doesn’t work
that way and his body gets to decide when the next “phase” of life for him will
start. He’s convinced he can make his body start that process this summer.
As much as Michael pushes boundaries which sometimes lands
him on the wrong side of the rules, he can be just as much a sweet helper and a
kind loving brother, son and friend. After sharing the news that we were
expecting again, Michael asks me countless days, how I am feeling, how the baby
is and if he can feel her. It is clear he’s just as emotionally connected
to our goal of bringing home a healthy baby as we are. And while Isabelle
irritates him to no end when she touches his stuff, he still cares about her
and tries to do whatever he can to help her.
One of the ways I’ve seen Michael grow this year is in his
desire to work hard and earn money. Back in Iowa over Christmas he helped
Grandpa and Grandma, and his aunts and uncles with projects or chores, to which
he was rewarded with some money. He winningly accepted new jobs and saw the
value in earning dollars in exchange for hard work. He saved his money
and this spring used it to buy himself a flying drone. He carefully
budgeted his money, making sure to save some for his next “must have” item, and
was surprised to learn just how much things cost. This has been such a
good lesson for him, he know is meticulously aware of where not only his money
goes, but also ours. Last night, Gabriel had a baseball game and of
course we were racing to grab dinner before the start… so it was dinner on the
run, or through the drive through I should say. Michael asked for a
“dad-sized” largest burger they made costing a whopping $6.59. After
studying the menu and pulling up to the window he realized that he could have
just ordered 2 regular cheeseburgers and saved almost $4.00. As I handed
back his monster burger he said, “Mom, I’m sorry I got the expensive burger,
next time I’ll just get two cheeseburgers and we can save the rest of the
money.” While not necessary, I told him I appreciated him being mindful
of ways to save money. I’m thankful for his interest in working hard and
valuing just how much things cost.
Sometimes out of the blue, Michael will surprise me with
doing and saying the nicest things. Just this past Sunday on our way to church
we were listening to music when Michael said, “I miss my favorite teacher Ms.
Thomas. She was so nice to me and taught me so much. I hope she is
having fun teaching English in China.” We haven’t seen Ms.
Thomas, his first grade teacher since last summer, but it’s clear, the
impression she left on his heart and in his mind are permanent. When
Michael cares about something, there’s no letting go.
And that’s what makes me love him so much. He feels
passionately about all the loves in his life. And I can’t think about any
better way to love than to give all you are and more. As we look forward
to celebrating our middle son and all that makes him special, I give thanks to
God for him. Michael has taught me to look at life very differently, he challenges
me in ways I’ve never been challenged and makes me see the value in
appreciating just how different we can all be and still want the same basic
aspects of life…. To be loved, to be cared for and to know we are important.
Michael you are loved more than you’ll ever truly understand
(I know you’ll probably disagree with me and say you do know how much we love
you). I mean what I say when I tell you, that getting picked to be your
and Gabriel’s mom was the answer to my prayers, and one of the happiest days of
my entire life. Getting to be your mom is a gift, because as you tell me,
you had three mom’s (your birth mom, your foster mom and me), but Michael, I’m
the lucky one because I get to be with you every day. We wish you the
very best birthday as you turn 9 years old. We pray for you, that
happiness always lights your path, that blessings flow abundantly into your
life and that you always remember we are here to hold your hand (as big as it
is now) and to cheer you along every step of your way.
We love always Michael William…
Mom and Dad
No comments:
Post a Comment