My Little King

My biggest boy is turning 8 this coming Saturday!

There's something about your oldest child that nothing in the world can replace... they are your first, and along with each first milestones comes first joys, heartaches, worries and insecurities - for them,  AND you as a parent. Will he ever actually talk? Will he be the only 15 year old to never have been potty-trained? Will he actually get off the bus on the first day of school? Will he ever learn to read? The oldest paves the way of reconciling all the parental worry with the realization that everything usually ends up being ok... and I think the worries lessen a little bit with each child thereafter. Your love and care do not decrease, but as the maturity of your oldest increases, so does your maturity as a parent. You grow up right along with them.

I've often questioned God on his choice of my passionate first born. I don't think the boy has a laid-back bone in his body. Although I adore his fiery personality, I've laid awake countless nights asking The Lord if he had really thought through giving me this wild-child as my first. Would it not have been prudent to wait until we had successfully raised a few other kids, ensuring we could do this thing properly? But alas, he saw fit to give me the gift of a creative, emotional, sensitive, and life-loving son and I've been hanging on for dear life ever since. 

His name is Reagan Lee. Reagan means "Little King" and Lee means "Loving and Poetic" and he truly has grown into his name. For every dominating and exasperating action, there are 10 delightfully endearing and kind-hearted ones that give me hope we're headed in the right direction.

I often think of King David amidst the challenges of parenting his personality. For although his passion and strength may test my limits, I also know that those very traits will help him slay the giants of life and be a leader wherever God takes him.

My prayer is that we will be able to direct, but not stifle, his fire and that he will continue to allow the Refiner to refine him. That his heart would be continually pursuing the One who created him and as his love and laughter continue to light up the world, he himself will be blessed by being a blessing.

Now... what would a Reagan birthday post be without a few quotes? They are coming fewer and further between, but still pop up every so often. I do love him so! 

During first grade, after discovering the proper use of a calculator: "Mom! You have GOT to tell Mrs. Morgan about this thing. Our math time would go so much faster!! She'll be so excited!"

Wandering around the house singing "all I want for Christmas is you..."
He paused, then turned to me and said very seriously, "Mom, you know that's just a song, right? I really do want more for Christmas."

After auditioning at Sight & Sound:
"Mom, it was really fun, but I thought my heart was going to fall right out of my belly I was so nervous."

"Mom. I've made a decision. I know what I want to be when I grow up. Where do you go to college to be able to work at the drive through window at Chick-fil-A?"

Kids, are either of you interested in auditioning for the commercial at S&S? Reagan: 
Do I get to be in a fight scene? (no)  
Do I get to wear a beard? (no)
Then no, I am not interested.

Me: Good grief, Reagan. Your backpack feels like you have a sack of rocks in it!
Reagan: That's because I do have a sack of rocks in it.