Happy 12th Birthday Samuel Ray =)
Our son Samuel Ray celebrates his 12th Birthday today 
When he was born I fell madly in love. My feelings have not changed about him in the 12 years I have had the pleasure of knowing him. He is kind and loving, soft and sweet. Yeah, I’m getting all gushy and mushy right now, and maybe even a little teary eyed, but I am so proud of who he is and who he is growing up to be. Samuel is filled with compassion and mercy and always considers the feelings of others. He will often times even put the needs of others before his own. His heart is so big and beautiful and his affection towards me never wanes. He is protective over his younger brother Nathan , and he watches over his little niece Zoe Beth like a treasure. He is even protective of me and his Dad. Think I’m joking ? Mess with one of us and watch his guard go up - Real quick!! =)
I love him for all that he is and for all that he is becoming .
Big Daddy and I have had this discussion several times before about you know the ” girfriend thang ” and the M word that comes shortly behind ….. What do we do as he grows and wants to have a girlfriend? Geez, I have a hard time with that one! Whenever he brings up the subject of having a girlfriend I feel like I can’t breathe and I turn into this neurotic freako. What’s wrong with me? I told him very clearly and emphatically that he was NOT allowed to date until after he was married. The first time I told him that, he actually looked at me like he believed me! God if only I could keep that one going. Hey, there are ways that he can date AFTER he is married…I could join an ultra-orthodox Jewish community and decide to have an arranged marriage with a nice virginal Jewish girl from France! Or I could become Chinese and find a matchmaker. Oooo, then there are those mail order Russian or Filipino brides! That would work right? If I start right now, I KNOW that there is bound to be a baby girl that I could get him hitched to…now, now, don’t go down that road! Hear me out on this one…if I get a new born baby girl and she is promised to him, then I have a good 21 more years of blissful mother and son-ness, right? That would TOTALLY WORK! It means that I wouldn’t have to worry about the whole dating thing until he was married off at 32 years old. I can totally dig that!!
By the way, I hope you know that I am only kidding about becoming Chinese! I don’t think that is possible. Right about now you must think I am the strangest mother on the planet; you might be right! I am writing this at 12:47am and he will be reading it most likely at about 10:00am, and this whole post is for him! I am razzing him on his 12th birthday.
Samuel my boy, I love you more with each passing day. I love your smile, your warmth and your awesomely (I think I just made up a word…is “awesomely” a real word?) warped sense of humor. I know that you will appreciate this post, because your mama is totally nuts! I hope I made you smile this morning of your 12th birthday. You are my treasure, my joy, and my favorite oldest son! ( fo’ sho ) You are unique, talented, fun, smart and hilarious when you try to “take your mama down” showing how strong you are! You are strong in so many ways and I admire you. I’m very proud to be your mother.
Happy Birthday!
