Tuesday, January 9, 2018

A Shoulder to Lean On

I swear I was JUST writing about how my oldest child had become a teenager and here it is, a whole year later already.  What can I say about the boy who first made me a mama?  It's strange...I can see him in my arms, moments after he was born, and I can see him putting his tiny feet in the lake for the first time, and I can see him getting on the bus for the first day of Kindergarten, and I can hardly believe that little tiny blonde-haired boy is now fourteen.  In just nine short months, Owen can take drivers' training.  Let THAT sink in.  Freaky.


This fall, Owen started school as an 8th grader.  He was ready to rule the school!


But when the first day actually arrived, he made it well-known how he really felt.


Owen also got braces this year, and he has absolutely no trouble showing them off. See?


He also continued with cross-country,  coming into this year with the confidence he hadn't had his first year.  I had such a good time watching him at his meets, and sharing his excitement when he finally came in under the 16 minute mark in one of his final races.





Even during the off season Jason and I can talk Owen into running a few miles with us and we both enjoy the time and conversation with him.



Owen continues to enjoy his time on any body of water he can get to, where he enjoys fishing, swimming rope-swinging and kayaking.






And then there's the chickens.  Don't get me wrong, we all love our chickens here, but when I was pulling out photos for this blog post, the number of photos I had with Owen and chickens was staggering.  It must be his calm demeanor, because these animals literally flock to him.




 He just has a soft spot for animals.  If the chickens didn't convince you, check out the bond he made with this dog at the Humane Society.


Even our two cats can't resist him!



Ok, so maybe it's not just the animals.  We kind love him, too.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, Owen is the perfect big brother for our children.  He is kind and thoughtful and generous and so funny.

I am thankful that he and Emerson are so close in age.  They have very different personalities, but they balance each other perfectly.



And Greyson?  He is my loud and rowdy contrast to the calm and quiet that is Owen, but these two still manage to have fun together, even if it's for just a Nerf battle or a game of tag at the park.



Alayna has always had a soft spot for Owen.  They remind me a lot of each other, and it's fun to watch them as the grow.



And then there's Nash.  What can I say?  Sometimes it takes extra strength for Owen to handle his shenanigans, but in the end Nash usually wins, whether it's help with Legos that he's looking for, or just a shoulder to nap on.



I would also just like to go on record and say that Owen is a very good writer.  He puts thought into everything he writes, from basic school assignments to birthday cards and thank you notes.  I know he doesn't LOVE writing at this point in his life, but one day I hope he finds a spot for that in his life.


Lastly, let's talk about confidence.  I mean, it takes a special kind of 8th grade boy to have the guts to choose this as a Halloween costume.  And bonus points to Owen for making it look good! Haha!


 Soon he'll be off to high school and he'll face all of the challenges that come with that.  I'm not ready for it, but he is.  He's always been ready for what's in front of him.  I think it's because he can see the beauty in simple things.  He's not interested in expensive clothes or material things-he's an explorer and a nature lover and very down to earth.  If there was someone who I'd want my other children to lean on, I'd choose him.


Happy Birthday, O!  Mom loves you.

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