Happy Birthday My 24 Year Old Baby Boy

Dear Michael,


Twenty four years ago you made your much anticipated entrance into this world. The announcement of your upcoming arrival was a neighborhood event. When one of our neighbors found out you were on the way, she adorned our front yard with five Styrofoam snowmen...a mom, a dad, two children, and a baby. It didn't take long for word to spread. Everyone was excited with us. We had waited a long time for you!

My doctor wanted to make sure you were a boy and said if I took the blue prenatal vitamins he prescribed that you would be. They worked! We drove home with a bundle wrapped in blue, and soon afterward our home was transformed from having everything pink and frilly to having an equal amount of everything "boy".

You have always been very determined and have long been making your own decisions. I always knew if you decided to do something, it would get done. The trick was getting you to think something was your idea.

Honestly though, I think you knew how to do this to me better than I did to you. I mean, what mother in her right mind would share her ATM card with her teenage son? Oh, and also her Chevron card. I remember you saying to me that I might as well give it to you and save myself a trip to the ATM for that twenty bucks you'd need again in a few days! It was much easier for you to go to the ATM than it was for me to leave work to go there. Makes sense no? As a matter of fact....where is my Chevron card?

Trust. It's a simple word, but such an important one. I knew I could trust you. Evidently others felt the same way. I remember one of the mom's in high school saying she was always comfortable and never worried when her daughter was out with you. I knew I didn't have to worry either. You made the teenage boy years pretty fun. That's probably the reason you got off so lightly when you drove the Civic into the ground playing Michael Andretti on Skyline Drive in Fullerton. Seriously, new brakes after only 8,000 miles? Did you really think we'd believe your innocent eyes and cockamamie story about Keaton and the emergency brake? Well, maybe me, but Dad? Seriously!

Speaking of fun...I remember getting in your car and moving some hats so I could put my feet on the floor and then opening the glove compartment and finding a bunch of my old sunglasses. I think there were some old Blue blockers and some big 80's style sunglasses in there. When I asked you what you were doing with all these in your car, you told me that whoever rode in your passenger seat had to wear the hat and glasses that went best with the music choice for the day. I can still picture in my mind poor Whitney having to wear sunglasses and a straw hat on her way to early morning seminary.

It's no wonder you have so many friends. You truly care about people. You demonstrated this quality at a very young age. I received a phone call from a mother one afternoon asking if you could come over and play with her son. She then began to express to me how thankful she was for you because you had been so nice to her son who had been struggling at school. Other kids made fun of him, but you were nice to him. You were his friend.

You love all people. I remember waking up in the hotel room in Honduras and you opened the curtains wide and exclaimed, "Don't you love my city?" Then as we drove to the distant places you had lived and served, I could see how much you really cared. You were hesitant to leave them and continued to worry about their well being long after you left.

You've managed to put a lot of life into your short 24 years. Thank you for the happy times!

I thank my Heavenly Father every day for letting me be your mom. Happy Birthday to you my 24 year old baby boy! I love you!



Mom