happy 12th birthday, my boy

Today my oldest turns 12. The last year before we enter teenage status. I could talk about how fast the time has gone, but I realize that would be so cliché. Instead let’s talk about how much this boy is maturing into a young man and how incredibly proud I am of him. He still loves a good LEGO set and a great book. I don’t mind if those things never change, but as I’ve started to see different sorts of challenges that pre-teens might face, I’ve seen him face them with an honest to goodness “This is hard,” but with a courage that says, “I can get through this.”

I still love that great smile of his, that incredible sense of justice that he holds to, the way he can explain every.single.detail of the latest book on his nightstand, and the way he strives for excellence. I love who God created him to be.

I love you, my boy! Happy 12th birthday!