Eleven years of amazement

My oldest, my first born, turned 11 on Saturday. It is is so hard to believe that he is already that old. Where have the years gone? I remember the night I was in labor. The beginning wasn't so bad. I walked myself to the car, but not fast enough for Chris because he began using expletives to encourage me to hurry along, which he never did. I did not understand, if I was not hurting why in the world he was in such a hurry. I got my epidural at about 2 am on the 24th. It was wonderful. Except that it made me sick. Twice Chris held the bedpan so I could lose my cookies, because at that point I was so numb I could not have gotten out of bed. I was in labor from 1 am to 8:30 am, But I never knew it because the epidural was HEAVEN. Chris however got very little sleep--while my job of protecting my child was almost over, he began his job of protecting his child that night. The nurse came in and checked me and said it was time to push. I could not believe it! So I started pushing and at 8:47 am, Mark was born! He was beautiful! I could not believe how small he was 6 lbs. 15oz. I had sung Jesus loves me to Mark through out the entire pregnancy. When the nurses finally gave him to me, he was crying and would not stop. I began thinking "Oh no I am going to be an awful mom. I can't get my baby to stop crying. He doesn't like me." I remember I was already starting to get that nervous sweat going on. I was bouncing him, and finally starting singing Jesus loves me. Instantly he stopped crying and looked up at me like, "I know this song." I have done that with my other two boys also immediately after birth. But when Mark stopped crying I was hooked. I looked up at Chris who was standing over us crying himself. I said "Daddy do you want to hold your son?" He shook his head no. He was afraid of dropping him. But I insisted that they needed bonding time so he sat down and took Mark from me. Mark didn't utter a sound. It was precious watching the two of them together. Our lives have never been the same since that day. And I am still as in love with that sweet boy as I was that day 11 years ago.

Mark is an amazingly smart little boy. He is only in the 5th grade, but he has a 4.0. It takes him very little thought to get his homework done. He is truly very gifted artistically. Give him time and he can draw whatever he's looking at if he works at it hard enough. He loves to make balloon art. And one week at church he made about 10 balloon animals for friends. He is working on his origami skills and tries very hard to make his creations stand up. That is where he struggles; I would have given up on learning, but he keeps trying. He is an amazing soccer player. I love watching his mind work when he approaches a defender with the ball. I know he is computing the best strategy to use to get around that player. He LOVES video games and in fact got a new one for his birthday Saturday and has already conquered it. He loves to feel useful and will help a person in anyway possible. I have gone out to the church gym before and watched him sweeping the floor while the other children are playing. I'll ask him what he is doing and he'll say he is sweeping the floor because Miss Roxanne said it needed it. We used to do dinner at church on Wednesdays and he would get his plate at 6pm. At 6:45 he was still eating. I always wondered what he was doing--why it would take him so long. One member told me he would go find an adult and sit with them until they were done and just go through a whole group of adults as they would come and eat. He would visit with whoever sat at his table. He loves to "help" Chris change the oil in the cars. And Chris is great at including him. And if it is time to wash the cars Mark is the first out there. He wants to make sure he gets his side clean.

He is growing up now. And he loves to be in control. While sometimes that is a detriment I hope he never looses that drive. I hope he always feels the need to hold the door open at the store for a stranger. I hope he always desires to please his daddy. I hope he will continue learning to relate that to his Heavenly Father. I hope he grows into a successful, happy man. I don't know what Mark will become when he grows up. While he is already 11, his life is truly just beginning. But I pray that God would allow me many more moments to marvel at Mark. He made me a mommy. And that will forever be the best gift he can give me. And I pray God would make me the kind of parent Mark so greatly deserves. I love you baby.