Is there anything more appropriate than taking the opportunity on ‘National Son’s Day’ to actually just recap my son’s birthday that was now more than two weeks ago? It’s just rhetorical.

In the midst of some of the most chaotic weeks I’ve had in a long time, we took a few hours on a Sunday afternoon to gather and celebrate the human that I still cannot believe I get to call mine. I’ve written about CJ’s birthday so many times that I won’t recap the absolute madness that took over February 13th and 14th of 2006. But, it is worth noting that I did some research and there is no statute of limitations on talking about your labor and delivery experience. I’m kidding. I’ll just say that meeting him was the most incredible experience, but knowing him for this past seventeen years has been the greatest gift of my whole dang life.

I didn’t get as many photos from that afternoon as I would have liked but you only need to see a few of Connor to see how much fun he is. I mean who else has a face like that upon opening golf shoes? I assure you something else was going on and I don’t want to know about it.

The one thing I know for sure is that I’m not looking too far ahead right now. The fact that Connor is seventeen years old is something that I wrestle with cry about on the daily. His dad texted me on January 1 and asked, ‘can you believe connor is a senior this year?’ Umm, no. And I won’t be thinking about that again until VERY late in August. For now, I’m enjoying the junior that he is. I’m enjoying that he’s still interested in just being right where he is. I’m enjoying that he is not terribly embarrassed by me (that he admits). I’m embracing the fact that he is wise beyond his years. And a wise … well, he is one of those, too. And it’s my favorite.

He’s just a good young man with a heart that is bigger than most will ever understand. I see it in the way that he treats the people in his world. I see it in the way he shares himself with family. And I see it especially in the way he takes care of his girlfriend like like a good man should. We all love CJ so stinkin’ much. And I’m so thankful I get to share the gift that he is with you.