The Boy Who Graduated

Tonight my baby boy will graduate and I can't help but think about how proud of him I am.  He and I have been on quite a journey together.  It was a journey that began before he was even born.  I felt his little spirit with me during my pregnancy.  I focused on him, instead of the craziness all around me on the day he was born.  

From the first moment I saw him, my boy and I became a two man team.  It was he and I against the world and he was an awesome teammate.  You see, every team needs a captain and the best of teams have someone who inspires the rest of the team to push beyond what they think is possible.  Josh was my motivation and it was all I needed to keep pushing forward when all I wanted was to give up.  


It was my little son Joshua who reminded me I deserved more than I had settled for.  We both did.  So, when I found myself a young single mother, I would pray like crazy to find a man who could love us both.  Yep, we were a package deal which meant I had to have lots of faith in God answering my prayers.  

And you know what happened?  God out did Himself.  He gave us Brian.  My team of two became a team of three and I, for the first time ever, had a co-captain.  Over the years my team grew until finally there were six of us.  

Brian and I have always stayed co-captains but our children took turns on the role they played.  I must admit there were times I wondered about him as a team member.  Like the time he bragged about how good he was at church by running up to me in the hall and proudly announced to his father and I that he had only climbed out the window during Sunday school class once!  Or the time he duct taped a chair to a lawn mower and gave barefoot children rides while the blades under them spun wildly.  And then there is the time he burnt off his eye brows and the front part of his hairline because he "wondered what would happen if I poured gasoline on a fire".  Joshua was a very curious  boy.  But he is also the 5th grade boy who called his father one day from school because he was stressed out.  

Brian - "Josh, is everything okay?"
Josh - "No, I threw rocks at the school air conditioning unit during recess"
Brian - "Did you get in trouble?"
Josh - "No.  The teacher said to not do it again, but I feel bad"
Brian - "It's okay, just dont throw rocks anymore"
Josh - "I think I should be in trouble"
Brian - "What do you think should happen to you?"
Josh - "You should probably ground me for a few days"
Brian - (trying not to laugh)  "Okay Josh, you're grounded."
Josh - "Thanks Dad....I feel better now."

Sometimes Josh was the injured player and sometimes he was benched but most of the time he was the one the rest of the players looked up to.  He is Honest, almost to a fault.  

I've watched my little boy grow into a man I am proud to call my son.  He is kind and fun to be with, loyal and yet a prankster.  Josh is friendly and strong, spiritual but not uptight.  He is a natural born leader and when he loves you, he loves with all his heart.  And of course, he is handsome and charming as well.  

Here we are, 23 years after I first felt his spirit beside me and I couldn't be happier for him.  Now, when he goes out into the world, things are different. 


He is his own one man team, and I am just back up, sitting on the sidelines, just in case he needs me.  Soon it will be Josh's turn to be a co-captain of his own team and when that happens, the role I play will be that of cheerleader.  

Congrats Josh!  

Tonight my baby boy will graduate and I can't help but think about how proud of him I am.  He and I have been on quite a journey together.  It was a journey that began before he was even born.  I felt his little spirit with me during my pregnancy.  I focused on him, instead of the craziness all around me on the day he was born.  

From the first moment I saw him, my boy and I became a two man team.  It was he and I against the world and he was an awesome teammate.  You see, every team needs a captain and the best of teams have someone who inspires the rest of the team to push beyond what they think is possible.  Josh was my motivation and it was all I needed to keep pushing forward when all I wanted was to give up.  


It was my little son Joshua who reminded me I deserved more than I had settled for.  We both did.  So, when I found myself a young single mother, I would pray like crazy to find a man who could love us both.  Yep, we were a package deal which meant I had to have lots of faith in God answering my prayers.  

And you know what happened?  God out did Himself.  He gave us Brian.  My team of two became a team of three and I, for the first time ever, had a co-captain.  Over the years my team grew until finally there were six of us.  

Brian and I have always stayed co-captains but our children took turns on the role they played.  I must admit there were times I wondered about him as a team member.  Like the time he bragged about how good he was at church by running up to me in the hall and proudly announced to his father and I that he had only climbed out the window during Sunday school class once!  Or the time he duct taped a chair to a lawn mower and gave barefoot children rides while the blades under them spun wildly.  And then there is the time he burnt off his eye brows and the front part of his hairline because he "wondered what would happen if I poured gasoline on a fire".  Joshua was a very curious  boy.  But he is also the 5th grade boy who called his father one day from school because he was stressed out.  

Brian - "Josh, is everything okay?"
Josh - "No, I threw rocks at the school air conditioning unit during recess"
Brian - "Did you get in trouble?"
Josh - "No.  The teacher said to not do it again, but I feel bad"
Brian - "It's okay, just dont throw rocks anymore"
Josh - "I think I should be in trouble"
Brian - "What do you think should happen to you?"
Josh - "You should probably ground me for a few days"
Brian - (trying not to laugh)  "Okay Josh, you're grounded."
Josh - "Thanks Dad....I feel better now."

Sometimes Josh was the injured player and sometimes he was benched but most of the time he was the one the rest of the players looked up to.  He is Honest, almost to a fault.  

I've watched my little boy grow into a man I am proud to call my son.  He is kind and fun to be with, loyal and yet a prankster.  Josh is friendly and strong, spiritual but not uptight.  He is a natural born leader and when he loves you, he loves with all his heart.  And of course, he is handsome and charming as well.  

Here we are, 23 years after I first felt his spirit beside me and I couldn't be happier for him.  Now, when he goes out into the world, things are different. 


He is his own one man team, and I am just back up, sitting on the sidelines, just in case he needs me.  Soon it will be Josh's turn to be a co-captain of his own team and when that happens, the role I play will be that of cheerleader.  

Congrats Josh!