17

Seventeen years ago, this one made me a momma.

17. One year away from "adulthood". One more year of high school. Time surely is a thief.

Jack is active and on the go all the time.

He plays soccer for both high school and club. He works hard at school and challenges himself.

Jack loves to hang out with his friends, exploring every single hot chicken place in Detroit Metro.

Jack is interested in business and enjoys "reselling" clothes on line that he thrifts.

Jack is the typical big brother. He makes sure they know they he is the boss.

Jack is helpful with running his brother and sister to their practices, especially if he gets to drive with the sunroof open on a nice day.

We love you, Jack. We look forward to seeing where the upcoming year will take you.

Lots of big decisions ahead.

We pray that the Lord guides you in all that you do. We pray for wisdom in the decisions that you make.

We know that regardless of what choices you make, we will be right beside you, supporting you.

Happy 17th Birthday, my son. We love you. We are proud of you. We are excited for you and for the future ahead. Lead with kindness. Trust the Lord. Enjoy this exciting year! Time, slow down.

 

16

 

The boy that made me a momma is 16 today.

Time is a thief.

Jack is on the go, all the time. If you can't find him on a soccer pitch, you will find him with his friends, playing spike ball or his latest obsession, pickleball.

Jack crushed his sophomore year. He decided to "put in the grind" and finished the year with a 4.0.

Jack loves traveling and exploring new places. He loves that he can go to new areas for soccer and he and his dad always find a local ice cream place to "test out".

Jack plays soccer for both his high school and club and is exploring playing in college...which is coming up alarming soon.

Jack, we are so proud of your hard work. When you decide to do something, you do it well.

We love your sense of adventure and know that you will do great things!

We know that you can be a great leader. People watch and follow you, and we pray that you lead by example. You are a great friend.

Be kind to those around you. Notice the ones who go unseen. Advocate for others. Be a friend to all.

We can't wait to watch you grow and learn and change the world.

We love you buddy and are so proud of you.

Happy 16th, my son.

Now...everyone stay off the roads!!

15

15 years ago, this one made his debut.

It wasn't the easiest debut, but he has made sure his presence has been known ever since!!

Jack completed his first year of high school, played JV soccer in the fall and played club soccer the rest of the year. He was able to travel to Florida and Arizona this year with his club soccer team to compete in showcases and loved the whole experience.

 

 Jack is now the proud owner of a driver's permit. He will have to accumulate 50+ hrs before he turns 16 and can get his license.

We are very proud of Jack and how he manages a very active soccer life, friends and school.

It was a definite learning curve, but he worked hard.

Jack is very social, always off riding bikes, going to "Dons on Hag", watching high school sports, and just hanging out with friends.

Jack makes sure that he is still the big brother and likes to frequently remind his siblings of that fact. We always know when Jack is home, as the decibel levels in the house raise significantly.

We love you, Jack, and look forward to seeing you grow this upcoming year. Lots of big things are coming and we know that you will thrive if you keep working hard. Be kind always, look out for those who do not speak up for themselves and be a good friend to all.

Happy Birthday, Bud. We love you so!

14!

 

14 years ago, this guy made me a momma. 

 

He is super social, preferring to be out the door and doing things then staying home. He has been that way since he was a little guy.

He loves to play soccer and is going to be playing high school (?!?!) soccer in the fall and then Elite64 with his club in the winter 

and spring.

He is funny and kind.

He loves to be with his friends.

He is loud and likes to bother his siblings with his loud noises, singing and wrestling.

He is a great student. We are looking forward to seeing how his high school career unfolds!

We love our Jack.

We love his funny sense of humor, his desire to succeed, his leadership skills, both on and off a field.

Have the happiest birthday, buddy. We love you and are excited to see what the future holds for you.

Thanks for 14 years of wonder, fun, challenges and joy.

We love you so!

13:

 It doesn't seem possible, but today, we have a teenager!

For 13 years, this guy has made me a momma. 

The oldest of 4 kids, he has had to be our guinea pig and so far, as survived the experiment of our new parent-ness. He handles it well, even if he pretends that he doesn't!

He loves to be with his friends.

Whether it is riding bikes, walking to 7-11 or playing online, he is always connected with his buddies.

He is a great student, even if he doesn't tell anyone about it.

He is a good big brother, even if he doesn't want people to know it!

He is funny and outgoing. 

He enjoys cooking and his favorite thing is making different smoothies.

Jack would live on a liquid diet, if possible!

He is excited to start working, now that he is 13. Babysitting certification and Soccer Ref certifications are coming right up!

(Anyone need a babysitter?!)

Jack is a natural athlete and enjoys playing soccer year round.

He had a great team this past year, with great teammates and great results.

Jack keeps up on our toes.

We couldn't love him more, even if he pretends he doesn't want us to!

Happy Birthday, my son. We love you so! We know that you are going to do great things.

We look forward to watching you grow, as we enter into this new world of teenagers.

I know that you are going to succeed.

Remember that you are loved.

Remember that your choices count.

Remember that we support you.

Trust your gut and make the smart decision.

Happy 13th Birthday, Jack.

We love you buddy!