Happy 18th Birthday, Jacob!

For the first time in many, many, many years, we celebrated Jacob's birthday on his actual birthdate!  I remember doing so on his 3rd birthday, which may have been the only other time.  Each year whenever we would plan his party, there were ballgames and other activities in the way, plus many of his young friends couldn't be there in the summer.  We eventually moved his parties to mid-May and continued them that way for a long time.

He really is 18, but he, himself, put the candles in and made it 81!  Ha ha! Here he is posed with his girlfriend :).  

My mom made the cakes - two strawberry ones at Jacob's request.  Yum!

Since we are remodeling our kitchen, we actually had the island cleaned off and were able to put wood across to make it usable!  

Serving and eating in the new part showed us how it will really be very soon!

Grilled hamburgers, chips, dip, and baked beans were on the menu.

Jacob has begun riding his bicycle a lot, so one of his aunts gave him a bicycle horn. He'll have fun with that and the silly string she gave him! 

He also got a much-needed clean, fresh, non-stinky golf hat. His girlfriend gave him that. I think she's sending him a BIG HINT! Ha ha!

Jacob,

I say it every year, but I mean it. I really can't believe how fast you have grown up!  It's been a joy to raise you!  You have a spirit within you that brings fun and laughter to our lives.  Thank you for that!

When you were younger, you learned that things affect you in different ways.  I'll always admire the way you can see those needs within yourself and how you work on them and allow God to work them out in you.  In 3rd grade, when you realized sugar bothered you, you stopped it.  Not many children would be able to recognize it, but not many at all would actually do anything about it even if they did notice it.

You also learned to have self-control, but more importantly to have God-control.  When you struggle with any emotions now, you know what you should do.  We have great memories from those years, huh?  And though you'll fail at times as we all will, I know that you will rely on God to grow your life in those fruits of His Spirit.  

I'm thankful that God allowed me the opportunity to be your Mom.  From the young years of you sleeping right by me, to the older years when you and I sang and danced around the kitchen to "I Wanna Be Like You", to our self-control/God-control talks, to our fun times together on mini-trips and your Junior-year-WDW-vacation, we've made lots of great memories together.

You used to say you were going to live right by us and you would say you were going to live with us until you were 35.  I think you have probably changed your mind about that :).  I know you'll not be here with me forever.  I would like to do it all over again.  But that's not possible, either.

So, Jacob.....I want this last year - your Senior year - to go by slow.  I want to enjoy it all with you.  You'll want it to rush by and it will....I know it will.

I love you very much, Jacob!  I can't wait to see what God has in store for your life in the future.  You have grown into a mature young man with many great qualities. I know that He will use you to further His Kingdom.  I pray that you always allow Him to direct your steps.  (Proverbs 3:5-6).  When you do that, you'll be just fine.

I love you to the moon and back!

MOM