Happy 10th Birthday Austen!

Double digits this year for Austen. Hard to believe my first born turns 10 on Wednesday. 10. Unbelievable.

As his 4th grade teacher said, "he's such a good boy." I hear that a lot from other parents about Austen. He's the kid who is friends with everyone. You won't catch him being mean to another kid (beside his sister Peyton). He is organized and always has a clean room and offers to help his sisters clean theirs. He's a caretaker. Loving and nurturing, he's the one who walks Peyton home from school and makes sure that at a party full of kids on New Year's that Hailey wasn't left downstairs in the basement by herself for the balloon drop, but comes upstairs with her big brother guiding her and holding her hand. He's the one who wakes up early to get his 30 minutes of reading in before school and buckles down right after school to get his homework done. He's the one who was chosen to play Joseph during his religious education program because he was the best behaved boy in religious ed class (even though he declined the offer and didn't tell us - we found out two weeks later from another parent). He's the kid who readily steps up to help out without asking and does so without whining when we do ask. He's the kid who lives and breathes sports all day. Doesn't matter which one. He loves them all and tapes games to watch later - fast forwarding through them for the highlights. He's the one who hates to lose - even at board games. He's the one who doesn't like to go to bed with his mom mad at him because he was a sore loser that night during game night and couldn't pretend it was just all okay.

He's the one turning 10 on Wednesday and in just 8 1/2 short years will be off to college. He is why I quit my job two years ago. I didn't want to miss one more minute of his games or helping him with his homework after school or driving him to his practices. I'll have the rest of my years to go back to work after Hailey leaves the nest, but now I have this short time - this really small window in his whole life to really be there and be his mom. And, it's a role that I love playing for a boy who I couldn't be prouder of. I love you Austen. Happy birthday buddy!