Nine whole years

Nine years ago a baby boy was placed into my arms. He had big blue eyes and really chubby cheeks, and just looked around at the world that was before him. And then, he looked at me, and I fell in love

James has grown from a baby then toddler into a really great kid, nine years have seem to fly by so fast. We have had so many changes in his short life time. 

When he was born I could smell the Pacific Ocean out my front door. Here we are now, all the way on the east coast, so far away and so long ago from the place and time he was born.

And those blue eyes that peered up at me the moments after he was born, have now turned the most amazing colors. A hazel on the inside and a striking blue on the outside, what a lucky boy to have eyes unlike any others.

In many ways he is still a child, the way he laughs, the way he plays, the way he enjoys the little things in life. In other ways I am seeing the young man he will become, in the way he takes care of his brothers, in the way he is learning to follow through on the things asked of him, and in the way that he walks when he is sure of something that he knows to be true.

It won't be long now until that boy that I see every day and hug every day will grow into a young man. 

It will be his will and determination that will carry him through in life. It will be his thirst for knowledge that will lead him to the truth that is around him. And it will be his strength that will help him back up when he faulters as he is finding his own path to follow

He came into this world so eager to be loved and to love in return. He is quick with a hug, and although his is growing so big he is still wanting to cuddle and to feel the compassion that is around him. He is so quick to forgive, and to trust.

The day will come when I will see him walk out my door to set his own course. I hope that at that time I have given him all I can to succeed and to rise. The world is hard and can be somewhat cruel to those that are sensitive by nature, but I know that his strength will pull him through. One day he will leave my arms to put his around someone else. I will be happy for him, but sad that my baby is gone.

He is now half way to 18, half way to a life of his own.

But for now I will hold my nine year old, remembering him as the baby, the toddler and the little boy that he once was. I will laugh with him as we tell jokes and hold hands. I will take this in lock it in my heart.

I love you my James, Happy Ninth Birthday! Thank you for being the best big brother and a great first child!