The Boy Who Turned 8

Two weeks ago.

I’m digging deep trying to recover my thoughts and feelings from that day.

It was truly a marvelous day.

The week prior we encountered a few hiccups that required immediate attention. And required some changes to our well laid plans. But if there is one thing I’ve learned since having children it is to be flexible.

The Tuesday before The Boy’s birthday my mom called to tell my that my dad would need a pacemaker placed that coming Friday. The very day the two of them had planned to fly here. After discussing things with them, and filling David (a.k.a. my voice of reason) in on everything, we came up with a plan. My mom was able to move her flight to Saturday morning. She would then be available to be with my dad on the day of his procedure. We would also change the schedule time of The Boy’s baptism so my mom would still be able to make it. Things further came together when my dear friend, and college roommate, was able to pick my mom up from the airport before heading this way.

Whew! There really is opposition in all things.

After all that and all my freaking out over cleaning my house we were quite ready. Ready for our visitors. And ready for The Boy to turn 8.

A few days before his baptism I went to the church to pick up his white jump suit. After school that day as soon as he saw it he immediately went to the bathroom to try it on. Then it took much convincing to get him to take it off. I finally told him that we would take it with us to the church. He gave in but before I knew it he was coming down the stairs with slacks and a white dress shirt on. He was so very ready.

When the day finally came we were all a buzz with excitement. I wanted to make The Boy pancakes. He opted for cereal. When did I become so uncool?

Then for lunch we went to Freddy’s, with a few of his favorite people that flew in special.

Before we knew it the time had come to get ready and head to the church. I had warned David that we needed to be there early, plenty of time for pictures. Although I forgot to give him an 8 hour notice so things got a little dicey for a few.

For his birthday we gave him a suite. My oh my is that boy a handsome one.

I found it difficult to describe my thoughts during that day. I was so overwhelmed. I was excited and nervous and lots of other emotions that don’t have names. Each year, on his birthday, I am reminded of the days surrounding his birth. More than with the girls I seem to relive those days and emotions. At that time, him turning 8 might as well as been as far away as eternity. And yet here we are. What a miracle. Perhaps that is the best way to describe it. I feel like his life has turned our lives into a miracle.

I found myself so wrapped up with the emotions of it all that the more people that came the more overwhelmed that I became. To be reminded of all the lives that The Boy and our family have touched who came to be with him on his special day was amazing. There were so many people that we had to move from one room to a larger room to accommodate everyone. I was in awe.

A few months before this day I broke down. I wondered if he knew enough, if he understood all that he needed to. I felt like the weight of the world was trying to crush me down with thoughts of doubt. Then David, my voice of reason, reminded me that The Boy knows who Christ is. He wants to be like him. He loves to pray. What greater reasons are there to be baptized? To choose to follow Christ’s example and commit to try your hardest to be your best self.

I never imagined how proud of him that I would be on this day. To watch him make this choice has filled me with more joy than I thought possible. He continues to stretch my heart to new strengths. He sat and listened and did everything that he was supposed to do. He knew what was going on and he knew what he was doing. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect gift.

It truly was a marvelous day.