Happy 15th Birthday 🎂 Joshua

I can’t stop thinking about how much you have grown. Just last year, I was a head taller than you. In one years time, I watched you grow out of your boys clothes and into adult clothing. You are now taller than me!

I watched you worry about fixing your hair. I watched you start to eat more. I watched you anger over things that were out of your control. I watched you disappear into your room for hours at a time. I watched you struggle with fitting in. I watched you force yourself go to school even though it’s hard for you to sit there all day.

I was watching you buddy.
I was praying for you.
I was right there beside you.
I was waiting.
I was waiting for you to reach out.
I wanted it to be on your terms.
I wanted you to struggle a bit.
I wanted to give you space.
I wanted it to be your choice to come to me.

Then I heard it.
You reached out.

So I listened. I listened to your voice that had started to deepen. I listened to your dreams. I listened as you told me you missed spending time with me. I listened to you when you told me to relax and sit down and watch that movie with you. I listened as you told me how inappropriate that movie was. I listened as we laughed. 

You will still continue to struggle with things. We all do, but I hope you have learned some things this past year.

I hope you learned that things won’t always go your way. I hope that you learned with each struggle you have a great story to share to help others. I hope you have learned that a little bit of praying can go a long way. I hoped you learned that I will always be here watching you, waiting for you to reach out. You’ll know when you need me and please know that I’ll always be here to listen.

Happy Birthday my friend,
Mom