Growing Pains

I love this kid.

15 years ago today, I got to see Troy’s sweet face for the first time. At 4 weeks early, he looked so small, and he made Tyler, who was still just a baby at 15 months, look so big.

He didn’t stay small long enough.

Yesterday, I dropped him off at camp for the first time. I’m not a worrier, or a particularly over-emotional person. But it was a lot harder dropping him off than I thought it would be. What if he was lonely? What if the other kids ignored him? What if he was miserable all week? Now, if you know Troy, you know those fears were completely unfounded. He is not a sit-on-the-sidelines kind of kid. He is my in-the-middle-of-things social butterfly. But my mom heartstrings were temporarily pulled in a teary direction as I drove away from the camp.

Then again last night as I waited up and never heard from him because he was having too much fun to send his mom a good night text. 🙄😂 I did get this picture in a text from one of his friends though.

He’s gone too fast from going to work with Daddy to working with Daddy. From singing and dancing to the Wiggles to making his own music. From sitting in my lap being read to to devouring books as fast as he can on his own. From being two-years-old and looking up at me with arms outstretched saying, “Hold you, mommy!” to looking down at me while holding our best friend’s two-year-old.

Is he perfect? Of course not. But he’s still learning and growing and I know that he loves God and wants to make his moma happy. I am so proud of the young man he already is and can’t wait to see where God leads him.

Happy birthday, Taronkadonk. I love you!