Happy 15th Birthday Middle Boy!

Today we will celebrate the amazing person God created you to be.

Middle Boy...I haven't even physically known you for a year.  In my heart I have known you for a lifetime.  I have no doubt God had you in mind to be my son from the beginning of time. 

I wish more than anything the circumstances in your life would have been different...your childhood could have been just that...a childhood.  But, without those things you might not have been here today.

There are so many things about you that make me smile.

1. You love God.  You once told me through your crazy upbringing you have been Mormon, Catholic, and Christian.  I love how you figured it out for yourself and you trust in God.
2. You are an amazing caretaker.  You love Sophie with your entire heart and make sure all of her needs are met.  Watching you take care of her makes me know one day you will be an amazing daddy!
3. You are a fantastic big brother to Younger Boy.  You teach him things about life.  You help him match his outfits.  You play games with him.  You hang out with him and you generally like him being around.  Watching how the two of you love each other makes my heart melt.
4. You are an amazing writer.  While I think your writing is incredibly dark I can't deny for a single minute your talent.  Your use of words is amazing.  What other 15 year-old boy would describe himself as a leaf in a hurricane?
5. You have incredible artistic skills.  When I look at the things you draw I am in awe of your talent.
6. You have beautiful music skills.  I love how much you love to record your own songs.  They are incredibly personal songs and listening to them makes me smile.  I sometimes wonder what you could do if you had someone behind you who knew what they were doing.
7. You fight for what you believe in.  While I sometimes think the things you fight for are misguided there is no doubt in my mind there will never be a time when you will allow people to walk all over you.
8. Your quiet self-confidence.  This is something I am just beginning to see emerge.  When you understand something you quietly go about taking care of it, because you know you can.  This coupled with humility is the makings of an incredible man.
9. Your intelligence.  This is an area where you don't give yourself nearly enough credit.  You are smart.  Smarter than you think you are.  You haven't gotten a fair shake throughout the years in school, but by no means are you stupid.
10. You are a survivor.

Sweet boy...I hope you have a very happy birthday.

You have given me greater joy....Psalm 4:7.

I love you more than the sands in the beaches...

Mom