A Milestone

Seth, on his birth day--he had stopped hollering for a minute.

Seth is 18 years old today. Sort of an adult. But as we who have been adults for awhile know, it's really just a trial period. I always tell my kids not to make any major decisions while they are 18. Maybe go ahead and let that frontal lobe of the brain finish developing first.

But, I'm not here to lecture--wait--I'm a Mom. I'm always here to lecture.

I'll set that aside for the moment and celebrate all the joy that is Seth.

He was our smallest baby: 7lb. 7oz. A little bundle of energy.

He came into the world quickly and screaming loudly.

Then we brought him home and put him in a basket.

He was the fifth child, he just learned to go with the flow.

Here he is trying to escape out the back door into the rubble of our ongoing, never-ending remodeling project. He was a resiliant child so he didn't let the chaos slow him down.

He was a happy baby and spent many happy hours being entertained by the four older siblings.

Until he was plumb tuckered out--on more than one occasion I found him sleeping in the linen closet.

Enthusiasm is his most prominant character trait.

He was the only farmer in his first grade class with a hat--he insisted on looking the part completely--

and he was not a bit shy when it came to putting on a show

He was a cheerful Cub Scout and a fun big brother to Sam and Shane.

He has since learned to fly, earned his Eagle Scout and Duty to God and will soon be leaving the nest for a summer job and then college in the fall. It doesn't get any easier to send them off, no matter how many you have. We will miss his cooking and baking, his hard work as the resident remodel subcontractor, and his enthusiasm for everything from going to the beach to building a boat out of water bottles, from passionate political discussions to long talks about his hopes and aspirations.

Happy Birthday Seffers!