Happy 16th Birthday, Zachary!

How can it possibly be that my sweet, happy, and easy-to-raise second child and oldest son possibly be SIXTEEN years old????!!!!!  It's unbelievable!  

This baby picture shows exactly how I remember Zachary as a baby.....usually screaming and laughing at the same time!  When he was about 2 1/2 or 3 he would stand at the front door and wait for the trash truck, which came on Thursdays.  He would see it and scream and shake!  The trash truck was sooooooo very exciting to him!  I love teasing him about that now! As a three year old Zachary dreamed of being an astronaut and trash truck driver.  We joked that some day maybe he would carry the trash to the moon!  

Zachary is excited about being 16.  He's grown so much in the past few months that he's now the tallest in the family.  I have to remind him at times that, although he's taller than me now, I'm still the boss (unless my husband's here) and I'll TAKE HIM DOWN if I need to!! :)  That's my "front" anyway.  Don't tell him that I know I couldn't!  (ha ha!) 

Zachary's got his learner's permit and taking his driver's test Friday, and is  looking forward to being able to drive himself places........like to the golf course in a nearby town.  I'm looking forward to him having his license so he can run errands for me!

I often say that Zachary should have been the first-born child.....a fact that sometimes annoys his older sister!  He's good to step up, take control, and take care of things that need to be taken care of - especially when his dad is at work or out of town.  He's an extremely hard worker and especially enjoys any type of outdoor work.  I know he'll be a good husband and a good dad some day.  He's not in any hurry for any of that......thinks girls are too much trouble right now.  That's okay with me.

Zachary,  

I love you very much and am so proud of you for who you are and for the example you are to others.  You are a wonderful Christian example to so many - both young and old.  I look forward to seeing the plan God has for you.

Love, MOM