Senior Year

With August quickly approaching, I have become overwhelmed with emotions, you see, my oldest son will be a senior this year. It seems like yesterday that he was just learning to walk, and now he is ready to take the walk into adulthood. *tear* As I look back on the past 17 almost 18 years, so many memories come to mind. I remember the funny things he used to say when he was young. His biggest fear when he was a toddler, gombies (zombies). He was afraid to go into the kitchen at night because he was sure the gombies were in there and were going to eat him. Mom to the rescue, with a quick flick of the hand, on the kitchen light would come and the gombies were all gone. Yay for mom!!

Then there was Barney......I love you, you love me, we're a happy family, with a great big hug and kiss from me to you..wont you say you love me too... Oh Barney...you big crazy purple dinosaur. You taught us so many songs, songs to brush our teeth to, songs to pick up our toys to,songs about eating apples and bananas (I love to eat apples and bananas is one of my personal favorites) and songs about how to be a good friend. I know that Barney got on alot of peoples nerves but he did teach us alot of songs that I can still sing to this day!

Next comes Tommy, the red Power Ranger. He loved some Tommy, he was the greatest hero of his time. All day long........GO GO POWER RANGERS..... followed by the morphing moves that he would make. I must admit, the Power Rangers got on my nerves. But everyday we would sit through a half hour of Tommy and gang morphin and kickin alien butt.

Then came the dreaded video games. If his dad were alive today, I would kick him in the butt for starting the video game craze. His favorite game of the time.....Rival Schools. I have to admit, it was a fun game, but in moderation. He definitely jumped on the band wagon with the video games, he was
 5-6 years old kickin grown men's butts on Rival Schools....GET OVER HERE still rings in my head.

At the age of 6, alot of things happened to my young son, first....A BABY BROTHER! He was so excited to be a big brother and you could tell. He was and still is a fantastic big brother. Now don't get me wrong, there are times I have to remind him that his little brother is 6 years younger than he is, so he can hurt him, and that everything is does and says is being watched. But for the most part he is a wonderful big brother. Second...his dad died. Now at 6 it's hard to tell if he really comprehended what was going on. But one thing he did know, is that dad was gone and he wasn't ever coming home again. I can remember many a nights laying in his bed with him, crying because he missed his dad. I would remind him that his dad was always watching over him and to make sure that he grew up to be a man that his dad would be proud of. One that his dad would look down and say..."Look at my boy!" "That's my boy!"

Then came Jr High and GIRLS!! I do have to say that I have been very lucky that he hasn't been "girl crazy" he noticed them and talked about them, but I would always remind him that girls will always be there, school is what is most important right now. When he gets through Jr high, high school and college, girls will still be there. Having a girlfriend doesn't define who you are and doesn't make you any more or less of a person. Education is THE MOST important thing. You can have your car, your house, your job taken away from you, but no one can ever take your education away from you.

Then when he was 15, I met my husband. A man that has stepped up and has become DAD. It was a struggle at first. For most of his life, Marche' was the "man of the house" and to have a man come into his life and tell him what do, didn't go over to well. He hadn't had male authority in his life for years, actually most of his life, so you can imagine how hard it was him to suddenly have a man around. But for the most part he has made the transition fairly well.

Which brings us to high school and SENIOR YEAR! Being a single mom of 2 boys wasn't easy for the 9 plus years that I did it, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Honestly, it made me grow up. We have shared so many good times, World's of Fun, Disney world, many road trips all over Nebraska, Rock Band in the basement, and being baptized together (just to name a few). It's been a crazy ride these past years but so many memories have been made. You worry if you have taught them the things they need to know to become a productive member of society. To be the man that you have prayed for them to be. The one thing I do know that I have taught him, is to keep God in your heart. If you put your trust in Him and let Him guide your way, you can never go wrong. Whatever he grows up to be, the one thing that I pray he is, is a man of God.

The one thing I want you to get out of this is, cherish every moment, the years go by too quickly and before you know it they are grown up and have their own lives. I know alot of people count down the years till their kids get out of the house, I was never one of them. 18 years may seem like a long time, but in actuality, it seems like a blink of an eye. You can never get those years back. I never wanted to be a parent who, 20 years later said I wish I would have spent more time with my kids. You can buy your kids the world, but the best thing you can spend on them is TIME. Its something that no one can ever take away.