Happy Birthday First Monkey!!

Today my oldest turns 11! 11! Seriously, someone shoot me! I am not old enough to have a child that is 11. I wish I could say that I remember it all clearly but another sign of my age is a really crappy memory! I call it my swiss cheese memory, it is full of holes. I do remember bringing Benjamin home and laying him on our bed. I just stood there staring at him, looking down at him sleeping. Some of the things running through my mind were, "Oh, crap, what have we done!", "Now what?" and, "He is the most perfect thing I have ever seen!"
 

I think being the oldest pretty much insures that you are the guinea pig of the family. (I survived it, you will too!) As you go through your life your father and I are experiencing it for the first time as the parents.




There are 2 things that you can count on...
1. We have and will continue to make mistakes.
2. We have loved you from the very 1st thought of you!


As we start a new phase of your life Middle School (enter scary music here...du, du, dunnnn)I know you will have trials but I also know your ability to overcome them with flying colors. This is really scary for me. I remember my MS years and I still can not wrap my head around the fact that you are now there! I promise to be there for you every step of the way. I am sure your dad would say that, too, if he were the one typing! You are so helpful, thoughtful, and smart. You are an example of faith and faithfulness to your entire family. I love the young man you have become and I look forward to watching as you continue to grow into the man that Our Heavenly Father knows you will be. I know that He has big plans for you! Love, Mom