14 Year Old in The House

Today is my son's birthday.  He's turning 14.  I can't believe it.  Everyone says it.  Everyone says they grow up in a blink of an eye and it's true.  This pictures explains what it was like for me.  One second the picture on the right, playing with light sabers and Buzz Lightyear, the next the picture on the left, growing into a young man.

He started 8th grade this year.

This past year I have had to purchase him three different sizes of shoes.  I had to buy new jeans every couple of months because they got too short and now we shop in the men's department.  It is strange.  I was not prepared.  He suddenly was taller than me and his fingers were longer than mine (not that that was such an accomplishment - my fingers are like Vienna Sausages).

He and his sister had always been 1/2 inch apart in height until this past year.  This year, this happened:

Last October he went to Falls Creek for a short fall break camp.  It was a dip-your-toe kind of thing for me.  First time away at a camp without either parent.  I survived.  Then came this summer when he wanted to go for a whole week to Falls Creek.  I did this every summer when I was in the youth group.  He would be fine.  I know this in my head.  I do.  However, I still went down for the day.  :)

He is growing in a fine young man.  He is learning new things like riding a motorcycle with a clutch and change his tire.

broken brake lever

The officer bought his uncle's old truck.  Eventually this will be the boy's truck.  There is a lot of work that needs to be done on it, but they are working on it together.  It's been a fun project for them.  They just got the motor back from the shop, and now they have to put it back together.  Fingers crossed. 

Although he's grown a foot, almost literally, he's not too big to get a hug from Grandma Margaret or learn chess from Papa.  I hope he never gets to big for either of those.

 Happy 14th Birthday son.