George

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George Year Twelve

There is something different about twelve. (Honestly, I probably think this about every birthday you have.)

Maybe it’s because you’re my oldest, and so much of this feels like uncharted territory. Maybe it’s because somewhere between the little boy you were and the young man you are becoming, I have started to realize that my job is changing, too.

This past year has been full of big conversations.

Conversations about friendships and what it means to be a good friend. About responsibility and learning that our choices have consequences. About peer pressure and the courage it takes to stand firm when doing the right thing isn’t necessarily the easy thing. About faith, and what it means to believe something for yourself rather than simply because your parents taught it to you.

And, perhaps most importantly, conversations about the kind of man you want to become.

I have watched you navigate things this year that little-boy-you never had to think about. You are beginning to notice the world in a different way. You are figuring out who you are, who you want beside you, what matters to you, and what kind of person you want to be when no one is watching.

And sometimes, if I’m being honest, I want to slow it all down.

I want to keep you little enough that I can fix everything. I want to protect you from the hard conversations, the disappointments, the mistakes and the moments when you have to figure things out for yourself.

But I know that isn’t my job anymore.

My job is slowly becoming less about holding your hand through every step and more about making sure you know where to turn when you need it. It’s about giving you a foundation strong enough to stand on when I’m not standing right beside you. It’s about reminding you who you are when the world tries to convince you to be someone else.

I don’t expect you to have it all figured out at 12. Goodness, I certainly don’t have it all figured out at 41.

But I hope you always know this: you are deeply loved. You are allowed to make mistakes. You can ask questions-all the questions. You can change your mind. You can walk away from things that don’t feel right. You can stand up for people who need someone in their corner. You can be kind without being weak and strong without being hard.

I see pieces of the man you are hoping to become.

I see him when you take care of your siblings. When you make me laugh. When you stand up for a friend. When you wrestle with a hard question instead of simply accepting an easy answer. When you show compassion. When you make a mistake, take accountability, and try again.

The little boy I once carried around is becoming someone I can have real conversations with. Someone whose opinions I genuinely want to hear.

And while a part of me will always wish I could keep you little and hear that sweet little voice, another part of me is incredibly excited to watch you become a new version of you.

Twelve is a strange and beautiful in-between.

You aren’t a little boy anymore.

But you aren’t a grown man either.

You’re somewhere in the middle, figuring it out one conversation, one mistake, one choice and one day at a time.

And buddy, I hope you know how proud I am to get a front-row seat to the man you’re becoming.

I don’t need you to be perfect.

I just hope you always choose to be good and be you.

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George Year Eleven

Dear George,

Today you turn eleven and start middle school. I cannot believe that we are at this stage, but welcome to this adventure called middle school! You are about to grow, stretch, stumble, laugh, learn, and change more in the next few years than you may even realize. And that’s okay—middle school is meant to be a little messy.

Here are a few things I want you to know:

  • It’s okay not to have it all figured out. You’re still learning who you are, what you like, and what matters most to you.
  • Mistakes are proof that you’re trying. Some of your biggest lessons won’t come from getting things right the first time, but from trying again.
  • Kindness matters. The way you treat others (and yourself!) will always matter more than grades, clothes, or being “cool.”
  • You are not alone. Even when it feels like no one understands, I promise there are people cheering you on—teachers, friends, family, and more.
  • You are enough. Exactly as you are today, you are worthy of love, respect, and joy.

Middle school is just one chapter in your story, but it’s an important one. Take chances, work hard, be curious, laugh often, and remember—who you are becoming matters more than who you’ve been.

So this is a very special birthday for you, you not only began a brand-new school year but also stepped into middle school today. Eleven is such a special age—you’re right in between being a kid and becoming a teenager. What I love most is how you get the best of both worlds: you still have that playful, silly side that makes life fun, and you’re also starting to see the world in deeper ways, asking big questions and sharing your thoughtful ideas.

I am so proud of you—of your positive attitude, your courage, and most of all, the way you are freely and unapologetically yourself. What a gift to walk into this new chapter on such a meaningful day.

You’ve got this.

Love,

Mom

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George Turns TEN

How has it been a decade already?

In honor of his birthday, here are 10 of our favorite memories over the last decade.

We had our annual Storm the Gate event this week at my work, and I cannot go to the event without thinking of the year that George peed on the lawn. He was newly potty-trained, just turned three, and here we are on a college campus celebrating a new class. He was used to peeing in our yard, so just as several hundred college freshman and many staff and faculty gathered on the front lawn of campus, here is George pulling his pants down around his ankle to pee on one of the biggest trees on campus.

This past summer George had a charity lemonade stand at school. He saw that his table was not getting as much traffic as others, so he decided to add a something special. He offered a unique George dance for a $1, and each time he did it, it got more elaborate and special. I love his creative brain and willingness to put himself out there.

When he was about 4 years old, we went to the zoo and off course there is a train. This was in the height of his obsession with all things that go. We basically went to the zoo for him to call the train and follow it every where. He was so excited. And there is a moment that will live in my brain where the excitement was bursting from him as he happened to “Choo Choo” call and then it drove by like it heard him. He was so ecstatic that his little body shook as it went by.

There are so many memories around Legos, so we are wrapping it all into one. Tom built him a special Lego table, and we have spent so many hours creating and building together. From our Lego Master competitions during COVID to building all kinds of different scenes. Our favorite though is when our family all chipped in for his 5th birthday to get all the sets to the Volcano Rescue theme. It was so fun to see his reaction and then spending all the time building the complete scene. Some of those sets we still use now.

None of the kids have taken conventional swimming lessons past 2 years, so we have taught them by a lot of determination and exposure. The summer that George was 7, he was determined to swim under water. We tried different things all summer, but a few weeks before the summer ended, he just made it happen! I loved how proud he was off himself. He jumped out of the water in disbelief that he actually did it. And now we can’t keep him above water when we go swimming.

When George was in pre-school, he was really into Little Blue Truck. After reading the Christmas book, he was convinced that there as a Christmas Tree Truck guy that delivered our tree. We counted down until we put up the tree with a paper chain. And then we put it up over his nap. He came down in disbelief that it was delivered, and he thought it was the coolest thing ever .It was such a magical year where he believed this so fully. It honestly may have been the start of his obsession with Christmas, which led to his 6th birthday being a Christmas themed party (in August).

Before Daphne and Wally came along, I got a lot of solo nights with George. Tom was on shift work, so he was only home at night a third of the time. So we had a lot of just me and George nights his first couple years. It was so special to spend that time together, and I remember so many random things from our solo time then. While there are a lot of things he may not get as a first born kiddo, but he is the only one who got that.

When George was 6 and Daphne was 3, there was a black snake on the driveway. Daphne walked over to the snake because she was curious. He jumped between Daphne and the snake. Then he picked her up and ran away with her. He was a beast taking care of his sister. So no matter how much they can bicker and fight, I know that he will protect her when he needs to.

George meeting his siblings when they were born is such a special thing to witness. He was so sweet as a three year old with Daphne. He would rub her head and say sweet things to her to calm her down. When George met Wally when he was 6 years old, he cried because he was so emotional about having another sibling. He sat and just held him for so long, and always wanted to love on him. To watch them together and see their bond grow is so significant.

And for our most favorite George memory, is one before he was even born. He has been surprising us since the day we found out about him. You can read the full story here. It is funny to look at those pregnancy announcement photos that say September. Again, he has kept us on our toes since day 1.

    My favorite thing to do with him is when we go for walks, and we just get to talk and explore. Tom’s favorite thing to do with him is drive around in the car and get to talk and listen to music. So in generally we love conversations with this kiddo, which are ever abundant. He always wants to talk through things and ask questions about things around him. Being able to give him space to talk has been so special to build as his parents.

    It is weird to say I have been a mom for a decade. George has taught me so much about love, forgiveness, being fearless, and enjoying the moments for what they are. He is the first to take a piece of my heart with him, and I just love watching him grow. He is so kind and funny. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He wants to know everything about everything, and he lives out being curious and not judgmental. He is a ray of sunshine who is as pure as he can be. He is really special, and it is a joy to be part of his world.

    Happy birthday kiddo!

    by

    George Turns Nine

    It is so hard to believe that you are nine today sweet boy. You are the child that God knew that my heart needed. You have been unexpected since the moment we found out about you, and you teach me so much about life and love. As a parent, we hope for so much for our children. These are just a few of the wishes we have for you on your ninth birthday.

    My wish is that you find your people. You are entering a time of complicated social dynamics, but you are also one who tries to connect with everyone you meet. You love reaching out to people and make them feel seen. However, we know that is not always reciprocated now. We hope that you are able to find people who lift you up and are able to recognize your specialness and not tear you down for it.

    As much as we want you to find good friends, we also hope for you to be a kind and loyal friend. You are one of those people that when you find someone you connect with you imprint on them for life. I hope you never lose that dedication and zest for pouring into other people and pumping up your friends. You are so kind to others, and no matter how hard people can be I hope you never lose that ability to see past that and find goodness in others. This is one of your most special qualities.

    You are going to a new school this year, and third grade just seems so big. My wish is that you keep an open mind to learning and transition to these new expectations like a champ. You are one of the smartest kids I know, and my wish is that you continue to find the fun in learning and are able to thrive.

    My hope is that you can learn from failing. You are wild and go straight into things with unparalleled confidence. The road to success is paved with mistakes well-handled. I hope that you keep trying even when it seems impossible.

    As we near double digits, I hope that you still have that child-like wonder and find fun in every day. I think in this world we try to jam so much into our days and forget to slow down to appreciate it. I want you still to be a kid even if the pressures around you are to grow up.  I hope this year is filled will play, laughs, and freedom to explore.

    I know we tell you all the time that you have a big responsibility as a big brother to Daphne and Wally. While I do want you to be a role model to them, what I hope most is that you develop a strong bond with your siblings. I hope that you are each other’s biggest cheerleaders and inspire each other as you grow together. My wish is that you know each other’s hearts and share time together.

    George most of all I just hope that you just keep being you. My wish for you is that you don’t ever let anyone dampen your light. You have a presence about you that is unmatched. You make us smile every day, and we have loved watching you grow into the person you are.

    I am incredibly proud to be your mom. I am so in love with your beautiful heart. Your sweet, curious, and blunt personality has kept us on our toes, and is a constant reminder that God gave me you for all the right reasons. You are my biggest teacher, the one who is up for any adventure, the one who can make me laugh until my belly hurts, and the one who is brave beyond measure. Here’s to year nine and may it be your wildest year yet. Happy birthday buddy!

    by

    George Turns Eight

    We are going blindly into each new phase, just hoping that we are creating good core memories and raising a good human being. Most days I go to bed thinking how I could have done better, been more present, shown more patience, etc, etc, etc.

    George, however, had a big year regardless of my over-worrying. Being our first born, he continues to show me the way.

    We really turned a corner in school this year. This last year came with many learning moments, advocating for his needs, and trying different approaches to his education. He has been a little wild since the day he was born, and we definitely saw him mature over the last year to settle in at school. He has learned so much, and now he is a reading machine. Tom and I cannot spell things out in code anymore because he catches on faster than I can get the letters out. He also continues to challenge me to not project my definition of success on to him. Every day, I am also learning from him to be patient and lean into alternatives to be intentional with him. As he is learning about the world, he continues to open my eyes right along with him. I am so excited to see how he continues to grow this next year.

    He is starting to hone in on his interests. He is really loving soccer, and with each season, you can see his determination grow. While I am sure we will continue to see his signature helicopter move for a few seasons to come, he has started to show some real promise and skill. He joined Cub Scouts this year, and from the first meeting, I knew that we had found his thing. He has loved every activity and moment as a scout. He cannot contain his excitement at each event, and it is so fun to watch the joy he has. It’s definitely a core memory watching him place at his first Pinewood Derby contest. He also dialed in on Star Wars, Pokemon, and Minecraft this year in a way I was not prepared for. So many times this year, he has shocked me with his understanding of the complexities of these universes.

    The dynamics of relationships this year made a switch. It was very evident that we had entered the big kid phase. We are now in the stage that not everyone is automatically his best friend, and friend groups are being made. You can see little pieces of his innocence falling off as we have to step up our game in the types of conversations we had. We talked through how he navigates relationships with kids who are being unkind and how to remain true to who you are even when the crowd is going in a different direction. You never want to see your kid go through these challenges of peer pressure, but we have had to have hard conversations about our actions and what they say to others. There have been moments that we watched him struggle and as much as I want to shield him forever, I cannot. At the end of the day, I am so proud that George walks confidently in who he is mostly unabashed about what others think of him. I wish I had even an ounce of his confidence and carefreeness, because he either thinks everyone loves him or he does not seem to be bothered when they don’t. We received many comments from teachers about how kind he is and how he would tell classmates no when difficult situation arose. He is also extremely loyal to his people. If he has imprinted on you, you now have a hype squad for life. It was so fun to watch him create those connections this year.

    Ultimately, this kid is too cool for me. He is so smart and follows his dad in quick wit. He tugs at my heartstrings. He is hilarious and creative. He is passionate and strong-willed. He can deliver the best stories and the strongest hugs. He finds the silver lining in everything and finds the meaning to things that others may have cast away. He is always a little wild from the way his hair constantly stands straight up or the way he brings his energy into every room he enters. Nothing is simple with this kid except that he has my heart forever.

    Having him changed me forever, in the best and messiest kind of ways.