Ode to Sam on Your Golden 8th Birthday

February 8th and you're turning eight...

How can that be?  You my first born, my only son, my golden one.

I remember it vividly...all of it.

Teaching you red, blue, yellow, green....one, two, three..."Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?"....Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star...You are My Sunshine.

Excavator, concrete mixer, fuel tanker.

Parasaurolophus, Dimetrodon, Brachiosaurus.

Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Megatron.

"James and the Giant Peach," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Twits."

Magic Tree House extravaganza....Shel Silverstein "Don't Bump the Glump" and "The Giving Tree."

And then, Harry Potter..."The Half Blood Prince."

You are in the middle of your second grade of elementary school and getting ready to make your First Holy Communion.  You can read like a mad man, you're doing addition and subtraction like it's your job, and you are the Spelling Sparkle Champion almost every week.  You've added chess club to your resume and have learned some pretty amazing strategy in a game that will serve you well your whole life.  You're a master swimmer and getting ready to test out your soccer skills on the field this spring.

And well, as you can tell, I couldn't be a more proud mama.

They say that your first child is a series of trials and tribulations.  The first born is often a Guinneau pig where parents experiment and try to discern the best course of action.  And this I know to be true.  I've made many mistakes along the way.  I've expected so much of you.  I've wanted the world for you.  And held you up to a standard that is higher than most.

But through our fumblings, I know this to be true.  You have taught me that loyalty, honesty, and holding firmly to your principles (even when it doesn't make sense to most in the world) makes for a person full of integrity, purpose, and value.

You have taught me the power of unconditional love, forgiveness, and the belief that tomorrow is always a new opportunity to try again.

On this day, your golden birthday, I pray that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt how much you are loved, you are cherished, you are treasured and always wanted.

Greet the world in your eighth year, fearless, wide-eyed, hopeful, and optimistic.  The world is so much better because you have been gifted to all of us.

Happy, Happy Birthday, Sweet Boy!

I love you always, Mama