I've had pages up for years that introduced my husband and my grandchildren but I've never managed to put up pages to celebrate my children and what they mean to me. Perhaps it's just been so emotional that whenever I thought about, I'd tuck the thought back down inside for 'another day'.
Well that day has arrived and although I know I'm sure to embarrass my kids, I'm going to do it anyway. :) I'm probably going to put up pictures that they'll cringe at in some cases ~ but they are some of my favorite pictures and I'll just point out to them that at least I didn't put up pictures of them taken when they were little kids back in the 1970's wearing the 'fashion' of those days! Do you think they'll understand? I hope so. The story of 'me' just wouldn't be complete without the story of 'them'.
Chris is my eldest child ~ first son (born in 1970) and one of the nicest men you could ever meet. He's a 'helper' ~ always has been ~ and one very smart young man. I have wonderful memories of Chris as a baby and boy ~ he was full of smiles and was the first human being who truly made me feel like I was 'needed' ~ really needed, as only a Mom can be. I was only 19 when Chris was born and I feel like in many ways, we grew up together because heaven only knows he had to endure a lot from a young Mom who didn't know what the heck she was doing. However, he made me want to try harder, to learn more, to be better and he repaid me a million times over with his hugs and love.
As Chris grew into a adolescent, he had a lot on his shoulders. My marriage to their father came apart in 1983 when Chris was 12 yrs old. I'll tell a little story about Chris here that most don't know. When his father left us, literally walking out the door with 6 bewildered children watching him head out with his suitcase, I dissolved into tears in my room ~ more distraught that I can even begin to tell you. Chris came into my room a few minutes later, stood next to my bed and said "Don't worry Mom, I'll take care of everything. I know how to do the yardwork and keep the pool filter running ~ we don't need him so don't cry." What a kid huh? Makes me smile now just thinking of how brave he was or more importantly, how brave he was for me.
Starting when Chris was a young teenager, we rarely saw him. If he wasn't in school, he was in his room 'tinkering' with computers. This was long before the days of personal computers in homes ~ but he was fascinated by them. He gathered up parts and pieces and built his own. He taught himself how to do anything that was possible to do if it had to do with computers. His sisters called him a 'geek' and sure enough, he was ~ a very SMART geek who has parleyed his knowledge into a life and career that have served him well so far and will take him places in the future that I can only imagine. He who has the last laugh, eh Chris? He's always willing to share his knowledge and dumb it down for the rest of us and I just have to chuckle ~ who knew that he was just a young man on to something well before it's time.
Now he's a grown man, handsome as can be and he married Debbi in 1996. They live in Tennessee where he works hard each day running his own business, helping Debbi run a successful business of her own from home, writing software, managing networks, doing consulting and yet he's only a phone call away when his Mom digs herself into something on the computer that she can't dig herself out of. He's truly taught me everything I know about computers and website building. He hosts all my websites, keeps them up and running all the time and donates the server space needed for Quilts of Love to be able to serve so many ill children.
Chris and Debbi became foster parents in mid-2006 and in early 2007 they have become adoptive parents. My newest granddaughter Molly Danielle, born in May 2006 is a joy beyond words.
There are no boundaries for Chris ~ this young man is an achiever and a humanitarian. But the very best part is, he's my son ~ and my friend and I'm so proud of him.
God Bless you Chris ~ always.
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