Birthday Boy

Since I am leaving today for the mountains and not knowing if I will be able to blog this week, I will say happy birthday to my son today. Bo was born when we were just babies ourselves. My husband and I were still in college living in the married housing. There was very little money to do things - having a babysitter was not an option. We carried Bo with us where ever we went. If we went to play pool and have a beer after Toby got off work, we took Bo with us often setting him on a pool table. He was a big hit on the campus. Later when Toby took his first big job in downtown Dallas, Bo and I would pack a lunch in his diaper bag, catch the bus downtown, and picnic with Toby. It was just the three of us. Bo was our little man. He was a serious little guy, but still had a silly sense of humor and was always fun. We joined a bowling league one year. Bo was the only two-year-old around. He had all of the bowlers playing "imaginary baseball" rather than bowling. He was smart and serious about everything he did. He finished his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at OSU in Ag Econ - all in five years. Some might say he had an "old soul", but I think he was just part of the "big people" he hung out with. Being my first born, he was my baby, my buddy, my first love. My memories of his childhood are strong.

On the day that Jesse was born, I remember standing at my hospital room window watching Toby and Bo walk across the parking lot to the hospital. Toby was doing one of those "man things" where he was not holding Bo's hand (like a mother would do). Bo was running along beside his dad keeping up as best he could. Although he would be three in just a few days, he didn't look like a baby anymore. I had the distinct feeling that he was no longer my baby, but he was a big boy - it made me catch my breath and hurt my heart. But God has a plan. He gives you new babies to fill the heart. He gives new responsibilities to the growing child. Life moves on. Bo always took his responsibilities seriously. Bo became a wonderful big brother. He was a wonderful son. Now he is a wonderful husband and father. He still has a silly sense of humor, and I still love being with him. Happy birthday, Bo!