Happy, Happy! Birthday Stephen!!!

Stephen made me a mother.  I was just a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece???? before he was conceived.  I was a selfish child and only thought of myself much of the time before he came into the world.  When I knew he was growing inside me it rocked my world.  I ate better.  I took better care of myself.  I took vitamins.  I used the money I earned to buy things for him instead of myself.  I had always wanted to be a mother and it was happening!

When he made his grand appearance, on July 15th, I was just in awe.  The experience and pain of labor melted away from my mind as they laid him by me.  I could not take my eyes off of him.  He was beautiful.  A crying little thing with a head full of black hair, who quickly calmed down as he heard the sound of my voice.  I was just in awe.  Total awe.  I am still to this day.  The miracle of life and children.  How they progress, grow and learn.  How they become who they are but yet were from the time they were born.  Amazing!  Gods creation is just amazing!

As I have matured and grown thru the years I learned that the bible is totally true.  Children are a gift from the Lord.  They are His but lent to us to raise, nurture, love and enjoy.  Every time The Lord gives Tim and I a child, I have that same feeling I felt so many years ago.  That amazing feeling that I am a mother and what a huge responsibility that is.  The total excitement and joy of that honor being placed in my life.

Stephen was a high energy child from the start.  He was strong and active, demanding and so smart.  It was exhausting at times to keep up with him as he grew and I was very young and supposedly had a lot of energy myself.  As he grew he asked questions non-stop.  We kind of grew up together in a lot of ways.  I made a lot of mistakes on him as my first child.  I got the parenting skills that have served me well all these years from having to be creative as a parent with him!  He was a handful and I learned so much in raising him. 

Yes, he invented his own siblings to play with and do things with!

He had me all to himself for 9 years. 

As he became a young boy we fished and took trips.  We played games and enjoyed each other for company.  As he became a teen we had deep talks and listened to loud music together.  We became friends as well as mother and son. 

He helped me so much around the house and farm as Tim and I started taking in children thru foster care.  It was a family thing.

We always shared with Stephen a placement and got his thoughts on it before taking the child or children.  As it always effected him as well.  As I had more and more on my plate often he did too. 

Even though we don't always agree on things and have had our share of heated discussions.  I know he loves me dearly.  He is a fine son.  We all love him dearly. 

Happy Birthday my Stephen!  My very first child.  You are the one that God chose to use to make me a mother and we became a family.  I love you dearly and always! 

Psalm 127:3-5  Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.