The Journey

faitherz33 (63)in #family • 6 years ago (edited)

"Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything that isn't really you, so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place"

Today (like every year of my time as a parent) I reflect fondly on our son's life. Today is the eve of his day of birth. 16 years ago I found myself at the tender age of 17, laboring relentless hours. I vividly remember the excitement, terror, and anxiety that cycled through my brain. "Will we be good parents?" "Will he be a great kid?" "Oh my gosh, I cannot wait to see him" "I hope he's handsome like his daddy" "is this really going to hurt?" The drs had themselves convinced that he (our son) was going to be tiny, underdeveloped and have health issues and they (the drs) were preparing my husband and I for the worst. The morning of Feb 11 2002, we headed to the hospital for induction. My body wasn't progressing as it should, so the extra help was appreciated. 7 hours quickly passed by, and there he was, this perfect handsome human was in our arms. He was a healthy size if 7 lbs 4 oz and 20 inches long. He was BEAUTIFUL!

We did it, we made a child and brought him here to this world. He didn't know the United States had been terrorized just months before, or that his mom was a child herself. He just was here. He stared at his daddy with the most pure love in his eyes. He knew he was ours.

He was the most amazing baby, the most hilarious toddler, the hardest from 3-7 yrs, and has been the greatest teenager. As any 16 yr old does, you try to figure out who the heck you are. Try to become who EVERYONE wants you to be...the trick is..you don't. You just be you. Love you. Being a mom to a teen boy could be hard, I am sure of it. Our kids have endured more in their lives than most kids do. Our kids are mighty. So when a time comes where life just seems too hard for our boy, my heart aches...our hearts ache. As he passes this door to being a young adult, and starting his path to adulthood we wish him the confidence he needs to push him through high school, the love he needs to find his passion and the bravery to follow his own journey.