Happy 10th Birthday Hunter

May 25, 2010 marks the tenth trip that Hunter has taken around the Sun. It marks a decade since my journey as a mother began. I am overwhelmed by emotion tonight as I think back on the last ten years of his life--of our life together. When he was a baby I hung a poem on my fridge that said:

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

For babies grow up as we've learned to our sorrow

So quiet down cobwebs

Dust go to sleep

I'm rockin' my babies and babies don't keep.

I'm so thankful that even though, he's too big to cradle in my arms, he is still more than willing to snuggle up next to me for a meaningful chat, and always asks for a hug and kiss goodnight. I can clearly remember the flood of emotion the day he was born. How did I get so lucky? I would think about all of the women in the world, and how blessed I was that God had chosen me to be his mom. As I held that sweet baby boy in my arms, I never could have imagined how quickly these last ten years would sail by.

When he was little I started a nightly bed time routine that included a quiz. I would say to him, "Do you know what my favorite part of today was?" And he would ask, "What?" And I would tell him, "Getting to be your mom." Then I would ask him, "Out of all the little boys in the world, how do you think I got the best one?" He would giggle and say, "I don't know." There are a million little moments wrapped up in these last ten years that I cherish and yet that little quiz fully sums up the emotions of my heart when I think about him.

When he was five, I made a photo montage to celebrate the milestones that he reached that year. At the time, I couldn't believe how big he was, but when I watch it now, I see a little guy who had only begun the journey of getting big.

There are so many things that I love about Hunter. He is a kind and loyal friend. He is honest. His gentle side is balanced out by his competitive nature. He sticks up for the underdogs. He is his sister's protector. He is witty. He is empathetic to the point that at times his own heart is full of aches for those that he loves. He is bright, and always strives to give 100% in all that he does. And while I wish I could take credit for all that is good in him, the truth is, along the way he has taught me so much about love and about life. These last ten years have truly been the time of my life, and so much of that is because of him.

So happy birthday Moose. And remember that no matter how big you become in the decade ahead of us, you will always be my little man.