You're gonna need a cup of coffee....

...to stay awake for this post. Honestly, I got not much of nuthin.

But that very phrase, "You're gonna want a cup of coffee," was uttered to me by my then 14-year-old oldest son. I had stumbled into the kitchen his freshman year of highschool early one morning to make him breakfast. I'm a good mom like that. And as I stood there with very scary hair and just my right eye open (don't see out of my left one anyway, so why open it until I've been awake for at least 30 minutes?), my beautiful boy said he wanted to talk to me about something. At 6:30 a.m. My heart thudded, just a l-i-t-t-l-e bit. Then he dropped the bombshell: "You're gonna want a cup of coffee...it's about a girl..er girls...."
And my charming and enchanting young man invited me in to be included in his first forays into being interested in the fairer sex. What a priviledge. And he's been including me every now and then and giving me glimpses of his heart ever since, too. How blessed am I?

That sweet young teen is, as of last Monday, a young man of 18. I haven't been by here much, because I just really wanted to savor every moment that I have left with him still (semi) at home. His last paycheck had 72 hours for 2 weeks. He's a high school senior. He has a real girlfriend now. And lots of others demanding a little piece of him. I don't see much of him, but when I do, I treasure every second. Even if I am just sitting listening to him in the background play either one of his guitars or the XBox 360 he is way too addicted to. Still and all, he is just about one of the best kids on the planet. And I'm not just saying that. Everyone who meets him goes out of their way to tell his dad or me the same thing. He was recently honored in a very special way at his school for being a "Selfless Senior," an honor given to only one senior boy and one senior girl in each local high school. His response? "I don't deserve that." Selfless.

So, happy birthday son. I love you. Your brother will be 16 next Monday. It does funny things to my heart to know that you both still want to celebrate your 1 week apart birthdays together. "Hold on to 18 as long as you can....changes come along real soon make us women and men...." Or was it hold on to 16? I can't remember now...


Caleb age 1, Tyler age 3

Pretty much this is still how it works between them, too.

Comments

Kelly said…
I love this photo! Drinking the bathwater! LOVE IT! Happy Birthday to your boys, and happy days to you. I can't imagine what the heart of a mom does at that age. My daughter turns 5 in 2months...my heart goes pitter-patter.
January 8, 2009 at 5:45 AM
Dena said…
Happy birthday to your son. I remember the senior year for my girls just like it was last year...maybe that's because it was. You are so right to treasure every single moment. It's amazing how fast it goes by.

btw...thanks so much for stopping by. I'm glad to see I'm not the only math illiterate. Maybe we should start a support group? LOL

Have a great day.
January 8, 2009 at 7:48 AM
Edie said…
I love that picture! He looks like he's about to get seriously clobbered! LOL!!

Happy birthday to both of them!
January 8, 2009 at 10:45 PM
Sande said…
Your boys are the twin set of my first two babies except opposite sex & she's 18 next month. Your photo depicts my eldest two girls' relationship perfectly although now minus the bath tub and instead of the red thingo, it's a handbag .... which may as well have rocks in it. Here's to showing these precious photo's at exactly the right moment in their adult life [devious grin]
January 9, 2009 at 1:06 AM
2nd Cup of Coffee said…
Aw, you made me a little sad. My middle child, a boy, is 19, will be 20 in March. Time goes so fast. I'm impressed by his award. That says a whole lot about him; you're right--it's not just his parents noticing. In your cute pic, I'm laughing at Little Brother who looks like he probably gave big brother a run for his money as they were growing up! Loved your question at my place today. The airport answer is neither. No pick ups in any sense of word!
January 9, 2009 at 1:55 PM
My ADHD Me said…
It seems we do have more in common than I even realized. My "baby" will be 18 in April and just 2 weeks later his brother will be 13.
Can You BELIEVE They Are Seniors!!!! (Can you believe how much money it costs to be a senior!!)
I really do love the time we spend together talking about anything and I love listening to hime play guitar...not exactly my genre of music but DEFINITELY my favorite muscician (along with his brother of course).
I also get the same addition comments but more regarding his brother and the computer...and everyone that tells me, is probably right. We went thru it with playstation for a while too.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both of them!!
:)
January 10, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Anonymous said…
I love tender-hearted guys. My son is like that. He is now a beautiful girl's husband. I always tell my girls, "observe how a guy treats his Mom and it tells alot about what he thinks of women."
January 14, 2009 at 9:32 AM
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