Nerdy Boys

When meeting with pregnant moms and new families, I often do an exercise that has them look ahead to the future, to envision who their child may be.  This particular session helps parents choose characteristics that are important to them and see how they have the ability to help shape who they become.

As my boys were growing up, I sensed they would be athletic but it was obvious early on that neither would be a jock.  Both loved baseball and began playing almost before they could reach the tee.  Austin grew to love watching the sport more than playing and even coached, though he was young.  Noah dabbled in about every sport through grade school, from soccer to basketball to a short stint in football.  Though they had the build, sports just weren't their passion.

Austin took after me and was quiet, reserved, with a handful of close friends, but a friendly face to many.  He was content reading and being alone, collecting rocks, playing chess and being in the band.

Noah, on the other hand, was a talker who never met a stranger.  Every parent-teacher conference I've ever attended, the teacher has made it a point to comment on how much Noah likes to talk.   It's a characteristic of his I love and one that will serve him well in life so he's never been told to "quiet down."  Well, except maybe in a church pew!

When Noah was little I wondered if he would be our popular triathlete, the way he picked up friends and each sport so quickly.  But as he transitioned out of grade school, we began to see a shift in his interests.

He traded in the balls for a bow and began archery.  Like his brother, he learned to play chess and found a love for strategy games.  Food and cooking became his passion.  He's especially interested in how science and food can work together and is a flavor fanatic, blending spices you would never consider but are always a pleasant surprise.

Like his mom, his taste in music is eclectic, though he's found more obscure genres than even I did as his age.  He knows artists from other cultures and nationalities by name.  I think he shocked his Spanish teacher by requesting songs for the music she plays in class.

His recent obsession is dueling.  Years and years of collecting cards as a kid has paid off, as his friends now gather daily to play and strategize.  They even managed to get it recognized as a club so they could meet at school once a month.

For his birthday this past week, stopping at a gaming store was one of his requests. Tim and I stayed in the car while four teenage boys went inside to "nerd it up" (their words).  Through the swishing of my wipers, my smile grew watching their excitement.  They browsed the store, card by card, for more than an hour and we were happy to wait.  Considering the choices boys their age have to occupy their time, I consider myself pretty blessed to have a nerdy boy.

Nerdy boys are smart and worldly, having a variety of interests and can carry great conversations.  They are creative and imaginative.  Sensitive and sweet.  Nerdy boys may not have hundreds of fans cheering them on but this mom will always be rooting loudly for hers.

Surrounded by friends, strategy games, and strawberry champagne cake.  

Happy 17th, baby boy.  I hope it was one to remember.

Marked Blessings

All boys seem to have a love for stones and rocks when they are little but our oldest son, Austin, was fascinated with them throughout his life.

In his younger days, he thought a piece of gravel was cool. I have fond memories of walking with him and stopping whenever he found a new treasure. He'd squat on chubby legs, eyes bright with excitement, as he held the discovery in his little hands. After turning it over a few times, it would get shoved into his pockets, as he was ready to continue in his search.

I don't remember why Austin began gathering rocks, but over time his collection and knowledge grew. He studied about them and could tell you what a rock's scientific name was or where it could be found at a glance.  Proudly displayed in his room were some of his favorite finds and he loved nothing more than to share stories about them.

These stones have been on my mind lately, as I've been studying the Bible.  I'm currently reading a devotion in Joshua and the importance stones had then.  It's even more interesting, as our family had a discussion the other night about blessings God has given us in our life and how that related to stones in Biblical times.

There's a space in the front of my new Bible that allows you to record milestones and blessings, to remember what God has done, is doing and will do within your family.

It was easy thinking of major events, like the boys' births and baptisms.  But there came a point when my memory stalled and I asked the guys for help. I'll admit there was a moment of silence when we reached the year Austin passed.  It is bittersweet because the pain still lingers, even though there is joy in knowing where he know calls home.  As we continued through our timeline, it became apparent how quickly we fail to recall the blessings of our life, both big and small.

 That was the purpose of the stones back then.  Marked monuments to tell future generations of all that God had done.  Reminders of His promises, big and small.

In this gloomy month that begins a new year, I can feel Satan's pull and hissing in my ear of all the things I've yet to accomplish.  Goals not reached.  Failures.  Inadequacies.  He would have me to focus on the things I have lost or didn't get and would want nothing more than for me lose trust and not cling to God's promises.

So instead I've been picking up imaginary stones, marking the simple blessings that come with each and every day.  And as I'm not too far into the year, I went back from the start of 2017 and lifted thanks for each one.  It's a joy to say my pockets are full and lumpy, beyond my expectations.

I can't wait to continue the search for more treasures to come.