Grey Day

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day 14

In 2007, he was the baby.

In 2009, he became a big brother.

In 2012, he became the middle child.

I think Greyson was destined to be a middle child because he was a handful even before the fourth and fifth children came along.  He does things on his own terms and at his own pace, and if six of us are walking down the trail, Greyson is off on his own, exploring the river.  In tennis shoes.

I know that I write a lot about what a challenging boy Greyson is, but if you ask me what the first thing I think of when I think of him is, I'd just smile.  He might be contradicting and stubborn in your face, but he'll always leave you with a smile.

While his big brother is quiet and sarcastic and loves to read, Greyson is the exact opposite.  He rides dirt bikes, says exactly what he is thinking as soon as he thinks it, and would rather do yard work than read a dumb old book.

But sometimes they team up for the greater good, like loading firewood for those blustery Michigan winter nights.

Being the middle child isn't actually that bad of thing, if you ask Grey.  He's been teaching Alayna all about adventure.  They shoot bb guns together and he's taught her that mud boots can also keep your feet dry in a chilly November lake!

And in November, 2012, when I presented Greyson with a baby brother, I could not contain his excitement.  Surely I had had a boy just for him and he took Nash under his wing from the very first day.

Grey is a hard-worker and although driving tractors and using power tools is fun, if he's tempted with a dip in the lake or dirt biking with friends, he is OUTTA here.

One of my most favorite things about Grey is his love of country music.  He knows every word to every song and thinks you're completely brain dead if you don't know who sings every song, too.  I didn't realize it until we moved here, but Greyson is a country boy.  From his music choices to his work ethic to his everyday life, this place was made for him.

Some say that middle children are always looking for attention, because they're often overlooked.  I don't think Grey feels that way.  He is completely content to do his own thing and go his own way.  Did you know that over half of our U.S. presidents were middle children?  I see big things in Grey's future; he knows what he wants and he is continuously figuring out ways to get what he wants.  He is matter-of-fact and unwavering in his opinions and when he smiles at you, you can't help but feel special.  Today I am thankful that I get to watch his journey, because Grey is going places.