Memories...

I did survive the fact that I now have a 16 year old.  I don't think I sat down to the computer until late tonight.  Mike and Andrew had their "Guys Day" on Thursday.  I guess Andrew is too old now to call it a "Daddy Date."  They went to see the movie Red.  They both said the movie was funny.

As I look back over the past 16 years, it amazes me how quickly they have flown by.  It really does seems like yesterday that we were bringing him home.  I don't know who was more excited about his arrival... Mike and me or our family.  Daddy and Mrs. Mary argued the entire day that I was in labor about who was going to hold him first.  Mrs. Mary left the hospital before Daddy because she wanted to have some film developed.  She wanted pictures to show off at church the next day.  Needless to say, Daddy took advantage of that and stayed late.  He held his little man "before Mary Hill could get her nasty hands on him."  The next day, I don't think Mrs. Mary stopped to eat lunch after church.  She was trying to beat Daddy to the hospital.  I wish you could have seen her face when Daddy walked in.  She started giggling and saying, "Ha! Ha! Dennis, I beat you!  I held him first!"  Then you should have seen Daddy's face when he told her that he held Andrew the night before.  Those two were too funny!!  They loved picking on each other.  Between the two of them, Mike and I had to schedule when we wanted Andrew at home. 

His first bed at Granddaddy and Granny's house was a cardboard chicken box that they had used when moving.  Mama didn't have a bed for him, and Adam had brought him home with him b/c I was sick.  Mama was afraid they would roll over on him, so she made his bed in the box.  It wasn't long before Andrew had upgraded to bed with them though.  And as he grew, he ended up booting his Granny out of the bed.  She has to sleep in the spare room when he stays.  He has always said that he gets that bed when something happens to them.  Poor Grandpa Rex was ran ragged trying to get the nursery at their house before Andrew was born.  Do you think he spent much time in there?  NO!  He slept with them too!   

Then there is Aunt Lissa and Uncle Tracy.  Aunt Lissa LOVED to tell Andrew to run go get his clothes from his room. Then she would hide from him behind the door.  He would cry, b/c he thought Lissa had left him.  She loved throwing marshmallows on the floor and watching Andrew run around eating them like a little bird.  She understand "Andrew-nese" even when Uncle Tracy didn't.  She knew if he was crying at the fridge, he wanted strawberry milk.  :o)  He loved riding on the 4wheeler with Uncle Tracy.  And he knew just how to sucker Uncle Tracy into taking him whenever he wanted to go.... just look at Aunt Lissa and point to where they kept the keys.

He knew he had Uncle Abba (Adam), Uncle Paul, and Aunt Sarah wrapped around his fingers.  When Laura was born right before Christmas and had to stay a week in the hospital, Granddaddy and Granny said we couldn't have Christmas until Laura was home.  Who was it that let him open at least two gifts each day and had to go out to buy more when it was time to have our family Christmas?!  Uncle Abba, Uncle Paul, and Aunt Sarah!!  Sarah is more like an older sister to Andrew than an aunt.  I do have to remind him often that she is his aunt.  He tends to treat her like a sister.... grrrrr!

Andrew is growing into a wonderful young man.  I thank God for allowing me this honor to be his Mama.  All the hard work is worth it to see the man he is becoming.  My prayer for him is that he will continue to follow God's plan for his life.  Happy birthday!  May God allow me many more years to share in the joys of your life.  We love you!