Eleven Years Old

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Dear Squirt,

Today you turn eleven years old. How did that happen? You’ll understand why I ask that one day.

Your hair is still strawberry blonde and your eyes green. You worry about your hair sticking up in the mornings. You have a definite opinion about what you will wear and not wear. I never thought a boy would have that much of an opinion.

Right now you talk about cars. A lot. So much it makes my head hurt sometimes.

You still love legos, but you aren’t spending quite as much time playing with them as you once did.

You would play video games all the time if I let you and sometimes it is a battle.

You want to be an architect when you grow up, but being the Alabama fan you are you’re pretty torn about the nearest college with an architecture school being Auburn. We’ve told you Georgia Tech would be a good college to go to also. We have plenty of time to figure all that out.

You still love art as much as you always have. You’re really into sketching and drawing right now. You say you want to be an architect, but I think you’d also make an amazing artist and graphic designer.

You are beginning your fourth year of piano and your second year of guitar. You have the ability, but like most children I have to make you practice. You will sit for a good while making up your own songs. I love it when you do. You don’t understand why you have to practice for your lessons. You’re getting better about it though and it’s not as much of a battle as it once was. I know you don’t understand now why I make you, but you will one day.

You sing all the time unless someone notices and then you get all shy about it. Hearing you sing making up your own songs or making crazy combinations of songs while you are getting a bath at night is one of my favorite parts of the day.

Your aunt Whitney married a great guy named Ben a few months ago. You couldn’t wait to call him Uncle Ben. He’s overtaken your number one spot from Aunt Whitney now. I think she’s okay with that…most of the time anyway.

You still give me hugs. Still tell me you love me out of the blue. You still want your daddy to play with you a lot. Your favorite thing to do with him is jump on the trampoline. You’ve made up some game you play while jumping. Always using your imagination. Don’t ever stop.

Jackson is still your best bud and Jordan is also. Hearing you three when I pick you up from school is never dull. You all always want to play football. It’s never ending.

School hasn’t been so easy this year. Learning to function as an imaginative, creative person in a not so creative setting is hard. They want to put you in a box. Learn to respect the teachers and follow instructions, but never let them take away your creativity.

Always remember you are amazing. God made you a bright, intelligent, imaginative and creative person. Don’t forget that.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well. – Psalm 139:14

I Love You,

Mama

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