Oh, Oh, Oh Sweet Child of Mine...

We interrupt this countdown to introduce my second son.

This child was born when I knew a little bit more about what I was doing...... I was not afraid to break this one.

This child was born one hour and 9 minutes after my first contraction and with no epidural.  This child love to be swaddled and "worn" by me.  This child only cried when he was hungry or wet.
This child was born with dimples and fat little legs.

This child loved high school.  He had good friends and they held each other accountable for living the words they professed to be true.  This child has faith. This child told me most of the things that made him happy, made him sad, made him mad, concerned him.  This child didn't tell me how much pressure he felt to get good grades and a scholarship, so he wouldn't disappoint me.

This child was determined, in some ways, to be different from his brother, but still went through high school as "Jacob Stevens' Little Brother."  This child knows himself well enough that he decided he needed to go "away" to college to become more independent.  This child made a wonderful decision to attend Northern Kentucky University.

This child loves college even more than he loved high school.  This child is conflicted right now.  He is HOME, but HOME is different once you've been away.  He misses his girlfriend, his fraternity brothers, and his independent life at NKU.  This child's mind is awakening to new people and new ideas.  This child is struggling with the hypocrisy and cruelty he sees in the world.  This child is right on schedule to experience these conflicts.  This child's parents are praying that he will never confuse the words and love of Jesus with the words and behaviors of some of Jesus' followers.

This child enabled me to say something special to someone yesterday.  While receiving training on "Cognitive Coaching," I noticed the nametag of the man sitting across from me said Alex Hall.  With an awestruck whisper, I asked, "Are you Mr. Hall?  from Greenwood?"  When he replied, "Yes," I said, "You changed my son's life!"  Mr. Hall is the teacher who inspired this child to desire to be a teacher--a highschool English teacher.  Mr. Hall made literature come alive and taught this child about writing for college.  Mr. Hall's face lit up and I remembered how much is means when a parent gives affirmation to their child's teacher.  He thanked me and assured me that this child will be a wonderful teacher.  THANK YOU, Mr. Hall!

This child will return to NKU in less than a month and this mother will miss him.  I'll miss the shoes on the floor in the family room, the empty cups and cans on the table next to the sofa, I'll miss the toilet set left up in the hall bathroom,  I'll miss the towels on the floor, I'll miss the discussions that take a little more cajoling than they used to, I'll miss the tap on the shoulder at 2:30am and the whisper, "I'm home Mom." 

I'll miss this sweet child of mine.  I'll send him off with our blessing and our prayers and be thankful that he is growing into an independent man.