I don't know if others feel this way but the thought of my Eli turning 17 tomorrow is baffling- I sat at our local Sheri's Restaurant tonight and told him, over his voice telling me to stop because he has heard the story a million times before, the story of his labor.........the story of his birth.....and the story of our long time family friend (and second father to My Matt) Pat seeing a few days old Eli and wrinkling his nose up, looking at me and asking in a very loud voice (mind you to a new mother) 'What the HECK happened to him?' to which I replied in an equally loud voice 'You pee out a lemon with no pain medication and let's see what that lemon looks like when your done.........and let's see how you feel!!' (Eli's red birth mark located smack dab in the middle of his forehead eventually went away)............
All of it running together in my mind tonight only this year with a bit more urgency.....my baby boy is almost grown up....
The clock ticked slow year after year- baby phase, toddler phase, first grade, second grade, loosing his first tooth, third grade, first motorcycle, fourth grade......the clock started ticking a bit faster as fifth and sixth grade started......junior high........moving to Hawaii........moving home from Hawaii.........fifteen with his permit made the clock start ticking almost out of control...........We adopted Ellie....and in the blink of an eye our Eli turned sixteen........and now seventeen.
Seventeen just for a moment.....
Just long enough for the last glimpses of my boys childhood to get it's finishing touches...
Did we say enough, did we talk Jesus enough, did we live Jesus enough, will the parenting failures be righted by God's grace and our child's grace........
4:39 a.m. on May 17,1996 born to Matt and Stephanie was a boy...a perfect baby boy with a big red mark on his forehead.............hee hee hee hee hee hee!! Daddy and I love you so much Eli Ben- we are so proud of you- Happy (almost) Birthday Son.
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