Today, my youngest boy turned 13–13! A teenager. Wow.
Of course I love my boy. I love him with all my heart. I felt a special connection to him from the minute he was born. His labor was intensely personal, meaning I labored for hours alone in my living room, listening to soothing classical music, sitting in the rocking chair that I would soon rock him to sleep in. I sat there rocking back and forth, back and forth, until I knew it was time to push. Needless to say, we just barely made it to the hospital before Mark was born. But I look back on that time as a special gift–those hours alone in the dark until 3-4 AM, just me and Mark, our last hours together alone before his introduction to the world.
Of course I love my boy. But I like him too. I like the way he asks some of the deepest questions. I love the way that he repeatedly comes into my room each night after I’ve gone to bed, to tell me “one more thing” about his day, or about what ever might be on his mind. I like the way that he watches over both his big sister and his youngest sister-he takes that responsibility very seriously.
I like the way that he is loud loud loud. I love how incredibly witty he is. He’s willing to try new things, go new places, make new friends. I can tell that his heart is tender toward God by the deep questions that he asks me, out of the blue, often when it is just he and I driving in the car-the best time for conversations.
I love all of my crew. And tonight on Mark’s birthday I am particularly thankful for my newly teenaged son. Here is my prayer for my son tonight, taken from Proverbs 23:
15 My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.
16 My inmost being will exult when your lips speak what is right
