Tre is 13.
A teenager.
Its wonderful watching Tre grow up. He is all I had ever dreamed he would be. he is an honors student, taking high school classes in 7th grade, he is a competitive and hard working goalie, he is service oriented & finds joy in lifting others. He is well on his way to eagle scout and can play just about any instrument he picks up. He is spiritually grounded above all other things. He loves his Heavenly Father and is steadfast & obedient. He has an eternal perspective and honors the covenants he has made and the priesthood which he bears. Being his mom gets better and better. He is truly a fun kid to be around and is witty and affectionate.
But. At the same time...It is extremely hard to see him grow. Knowing that every day is a day closer to him leaving for a mission, then school & I am certain marriage quickly after his mission. 13 means we are nearing the end of his clothes being in the wash, his toothbrush in the cup on his counter. The thought of his sweet spirit not being in arms reach is hard to digest. The children even talk about it now and how hard it will be. He will leave a big gap when he leaves home.
In the mean time, I hope to make him feel just how honored I feel to be his mother and that he has taught me so very much. He gave me a sense of purpose, an identity. I had so much self doubt before he came. He would look at me with need and with love and I knew where I belonged, and I knew why our father in heaven needed me here. I needed to be Tre's mother. We fit. I love him.
His birthday was particularly uneventful this year. It fell on a Sunday. He says he loved it. He is like his dad, he is not a fan of pomp and circumstance. We had a nice breakfast and opening a present, headed to church then came home for more presents. He requested Italian food for dinner so I did the best I could without our live in Italian Chef, Rod. We had cupcakes and wrapped up the day.
