It's the Beginning...

...the beginning of Hop's last year of high school.  Every time I think about it I start to cry.  He's been our little guinea pig for so long, and we've learned so much parenting from him.  Both the good and the bad.  He's never complained about being the oldest, and we're honest with him that we've been learning how to be parents too.  Sometimes he benefits from our inexperience and sometimes he doesn't.  He's served as a wonderful example for his brothers and sister.  He has brought us so much joy.

Today has been a busy day.  We received his senior portrait form telling us the date and time.  Not ready, I'm not ready.  I've sent in the form for his baby, or in our case, little boy, picture to appear in the sports book for his high school.  I had to email what we want written under the picture.  You'll be glad to know I was not too wordy, it was difficult, but I was clear and concise.  (I tend to write a dissertation when a thesis sentence is needed.)  Big Hopson was very proud of me.  :)  Senior parents get to purchase a hat with their son's name and number on the back, and I sent the paperwork in for that today.  I have also filled out his paperwork for his last football mini-camp at the high school.  It's weird, he hasn't started school yet, and already things are coming at us.

I miss my little buddy.  I miss when he would crawl into my lap and beg me to 'read more mommy'.  We would read for hours.  He would play with Lego's.  We would go swimming every once in a while.  We would watch Sesame Street, and sing all the songs.  He would play a game called Thinkin' Things on our first computer & make these little animals with courly hair.  (curly hair, but the program would pronounce it courly.)  Big Hopson and I were laughing about it last night.  His 5K teacher dropped off one of his pages in Homer book they had.  Homer was a bear that went home with each student over the weekend, and we had to put pictures and write about our weekend with Homer.  I forgot he was so little.

I don't know when he grew up.  I wasn't watching as closely as I should have been.  I was just going about our daily routines, and now he's talking about college, and what he wants to do as he joins the adult world.  Not ready, I'm not ready.  But, I will put a smile on my face, and I will celebrate each day he allows me to be a part of his senior year.  I will celebrate each day that his friends allow me to be a creeper, and to shower them with love before they leave us.

I love you Hopper.  I'm so proud of the young man you have become.  You have made good choices both in how you live your life and the people you choose to surround yourself with.  I love your friends.  I'm proud to be your mom & will look forward to each day as you celebrate your senior year.  Make the most of it, because it passes in a flash, and once it's gone, you can't get it back.  These are the best days of your life; live them to the fullest!!!

Celebrating Life & little boys who grow up!
~ashley