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This kid...

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This kid…

Thirteen years ago, this kid came into my life. He was totally unexpected and was about to turn my world upside down. I was 16, about to be 17 and knew nothing of what it required to care for someone else, let alone myself.

Over the last thirteen years, I’ve experienced emotions I never knew existed. Anger beyond words; laughter til tears. I’ve learned to change diapers, distinguish cries, heal scrapes and bruises, mead a broken heart, make life changing decision and prepare a kid friendly meal. I know the Barney song by heart, watch cartoons even when this kid isn’t around and laugh at the Suite Life of Zach & Cody. I own every Disney movie known to man. I know the difference between being “really sick” and just needing attention. I’ve experience heartache worse than anything in the world when I heard the cry that I couldn’t heal. No pain in this world is worse than knowing you can’t “fix it” when it needs to be fix. But there is no better joy than hearing those sweet three words “I love you”.

I’ve watched this kid learn to read, write and tie his shoes. I’ve watched him learn to walk and ride a bike. I know every bump, bruise and scar, including the lil one on his nose that he got when he was a year old, from pulling a fire extinguisher off the wall. It’s still there.

This kid loves pizza and sweet tea. He loves ice cream. He loves motorcycles. He loves sitting on the porch and just hanging out. He asks a million questions and wants a million answers. He loves Jesus and those are the questions I love answering most.

This kid is my pride and joy. He’s everything to me and he’s probably saved my life in more ways than one. He’s the reason I wake up every morning. As parents, we feel it’s our job to teach them to be decent adults but what he doesn’t know is that while I was teaching him, he taught me too. He taught me how to love unconditionally. He taught me about life and how to live it. These are gifts I will cherish forever. I will never forget the day I went to his school to bring him aspirin for a headache. I took him in the hall, looked into his beautiful brown eyes and whispered, “I can’t live without you”. His face light up like the sun and my heart melted to pieces.

He is the most amazing person I know. I’ve never met anyone like him and I know I never will. He has the heart of a servant and the soul of an angel. He loves totally and completely. He’s sensitive, caring, compassion and so full of life.

I love this kid with all that I am.

Happy 13th Birthday, my love. I hope it’s one you will remember always.

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