Happy 18th birthday boys!

Y’all, my oldest kids are 18. This is absolutely mind-blowing.

Let’s look at how you’ve changed over the years

Look at them! They are so big now. This is not quite all 18 years. I’m missing one around 2 or 3, and then I didn’t include the 18th birthday shot from today as I’m writing this.

You have always been your brothers’ best friend. You have never been apart, and you’ve mostly been perfectly happy to include your younger sister in your adventures. Sometimes you don’t always get along, and you don’t always think exactly the same, but it’s almost a guarantee if you can find one, you’ll find the other.

But you have been striking out on your own slowly.

When you got a job, it was in different places. Superman, you’re working towards becoming a coder, and trying out some classes there. Batman, you’re going into the army. Come July, for the first time in your lives you will be in different places.

I really have no clue what that will be like for you and how you’ll handle it. I’m praying for both of you and I’m praying for our whole family because things will change so much when that happens.

Y’all are amazing

This is how you decided to celebrate your 18th birthday. Invite your cousins over for a cousin sleepover. We cooked hobo stew in the backyard then ate s’mores and played video games together. Not many 18 years olds would choose to celebrate with their 10, 8, and 4-year-old cousins (4 year old was asleep when these particular pictures were taken). It’s pretty cool to see.

The number of moms in our homeschool co-op who are incredibly thankful for you and how you help the younger kids is way more than I can count. You always work to include other kids, and make sure every kid is heard.

You lead Bible studies because that’s what you felt called to do. You work hard and are promoted at work. You are consistently willing to help and volunteer.

I know that if I need something to do, and you can do it, you will happily volunteer.

You are amazing young men, and I cannot wait to see just what God is going to do with y’all in the coming years.

This is the last birthday post I’m writing for you. I figure now you are adults. You are launching out into the world, in the case of Batman, you are literally launching out and won’t be home for who knows how long.

I’m not crying, you’re crying.

Okay, I am crying. I’m going to miss seeing you every day. I’m going to miss knowing what is going on in your life the way I do now.

But at the same time, I look forward to seeing what God is going to do, and you can’t do that if you stay here. You’ve been called into a pretty amazing life. Go out and live it.

Previous birthday posts

Comments

One response to “Happy 18th birthday boys!”

Natalie PlanetSmarty

March 6, 2023

OMG, your boys are 18!!! How the time flew by! I am also praying (or at least thinking of) them and wishing them all the best as they launch into their adult life. Even without knowing them in person I got to know them through your blogs and I believe that they will make a difference in so many lives! Happy Birthday to Batman and Superman!