Blessings for my boys

I have three wonderful children of whom I am extremely proud - Dana is the oldest and the only girl, Matt is my middle child and oldest son and Cameron is the baby of the clan. Each of them have different talents and interests and personalities, which is what makes our time together so much fun. Just like Forest Gump said "you never know what you're gonna get"! And each of us recognizes and accepts the quirks of the others, just as we celebrate the blessings that each brings to our family. This post I want to focus on Matt...he has always been a sweetheart, even from birth. I can remember when he was very small and we would sit up at night, just the 2 of us, and I would stare with wonder into his tiny face and he would stare back at me with those big blue eyes of his. He just stole my heart from the beginning because of his loving personality. For many years he was a total "mama's boy", never wanting to be far from my side. He would howl whenever I left him at daycare, and then I would cry the whole way to work remembering his tear-stained face! He didn't like to spend the night at the grandparents' if Mommy wasn't going to be there, too. We were buddies and had so much fun. Of course he adored his big sister and she adored him as well, but as siblings are prone to do they often clashed as years went by.

Matt loved baseball and was blessed with a wonderful ability to play almost from the first day he swung a bat. He just was a natural athlete. It would be so funny to see this little fellow standing at first base, looking for all the world like he just belonged there. We always had such a fun time attending his games and cheering him on. But once he started getting involved in sports, his relationship with mom took a backseat to his relationship with dad - a normal course of events, but it still hurt that my little shadow had someone else to follow around. And of course sons never think that their moms are a good playmate when it comes to pitching a ball or acting as a tackling dummy, etc.! But no matter what, even when he may not have noticed, I have always been his biggest fan and supporter. He has such a capacity to dream about what he wants to be and then to go out and do it, despite all the odds.

This past week Matt did get to realize his childhood dream when he was hired by the Hendersonville Fire Department. And even though he acted low-key when I talked to him about it, I know that he is so very excited to embark on this new career. This is something that he has wanted to do for such a long time and now it is within his grasp. Thank you, Lord, for blessing Matt with the desire of his heart!! Now that he is a married man with 2 small children we don't see him very often, but I pray that he knows how much we think of him and desire for him the very best that life has to offer. He is such a good man, with the same loving and sweet heart that I saw all those years ago sitting in a quiet room, just the 2 of us. He will be a phenomenal fireman and we just could not be prouder of our son!!

And God's blessing continued to pour out on our family through Cameron...not only does his big brother get to live out his dream, but Cameron will now get to have his dream come true as well. He has decided to attend the United States Naval Academy this fall as a football player and a midshipman. His football ability has allowed him to fulfill his dream of serving his country and just like Matt, we couldn't be prouder of our son. God is truly good and gracious and now I pray that He will give mama some peace about my boys being in harm's way!

May He bless you richly today and every day...
Lana