25

This is one of those posts where you are gonna get really tired of old cliche's, like kids grow like weeds.  You know the old saws people trot out all the time, the same ones you swear you will never say because it makes you sound older than dirt?  Well, get ready!

Today is my son's 25th birthday.  It is so unbelievable to me that I need to say it again.  Today is my son's 25th birthday.


Here's where those old sayings come into play.  Time has flown by.  It seems like only yesterday.  How can he be 25 when I still feel like I am 25?

So last night we had to talk all about the night before his birth.  My whole pregnancy I didn't really eat meat.  I had no desire for it.  I ate a lot of beans, mac & cheese, really bland stuff.  But that night I had a real craving for a spicy chili cheese dog.  So that's what we had.  And I was up all night with gall bladder pain like you would not believe.  Horrendous!  And when I am in pain all I want is to be in warm water.  I spent most of the night in the bathtub floating around like a big pregnant whale.  I finally got into bed in the early morning hours and slept.  I woke up around 8 a.m. and was easing myself out of bed when my water broke.  We called the doctor and you know the drill.  If your water has broken they would like to see you at the hospital sooner rather than later.  This labor was pretty easy, but my guess is after the horrible pain I was in the night before, labor was a piece of cake.  When I finally decided I could use some drugs, it was too late.  It was time to birth this child.

Jonathon Karrol came into the world at 4:04 p.m. on a Thursday.  He was 8' 8" and 19 1/2" long.  He had a full head of hair and was absolutely perfect.  I can't imagine a thing that I would have changed about him. He and I learned together and from each other how to be parent and child.  My body knew how to birth him and then to produce milk and I was smart enough or naive enough to just believe that it would happen and all would be well.  It was.  At his first check-up he had increased to 10 lbs.

My heart was overflowing.  No one can ever explain to you how deeply you will fall in love when you give birth.  It is the most all-consuming thing.  Everything else around you ceases to exist when you are looking into the eyes of this little miracle.

This is Jonathon at 6 months.  Most of his baby hair had just fallen out and he looked like one of those little old men who are thinning on top.  Look at that sweet face, those sausage-y fingers, his little fat nose.

These are my two pumpkins on Halloween of 1989 or 1990.  They wore those costumes both years.

This is Jonathon's first school play.  Obviously he and his best friend were being Indians and Pilgrims for Thanksgiving.  Even more obvious is that they made their own costumes at school.  So cute.  When Jonathon started school at age 4 he walked up to this boy Andy and said Hi.  He just stood there every day and said Hi, until Andy decided to be his friend.  Andy was 5 and in the Kinder class and didn't know Jonathon from Adam, but this is the way Jonathon is.  He makes friends everywhere he goes.  This was the start of his career as the Social Butterfly.

This is when Jonathon was about 5 years old.  The other boy with him is the son of some good friends and he has since grown up to be a huge defensive lineman for the NFL.

This is Jonathon and my grandma 2 years ago on her 90th birthday.

This is my boy (and Johnny Cash)  presenting me with a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake he made me for Mother's Day a couple years ago.

Another view of the best smile in the world.

This is my boy.  I have loved him from before he was born.  I have loved him through the hard times of seeing his grandpas die of cancer, of the loss of pets, the broken hearts each and every time we had to move and uproot the kids and plant them in a new place and have them start all over again making friends.  I have loved him through the times where he has struggled mightily and I thought I would have to kill him or myself to get through to the other side.

The place we live may change.  The people around us may change.  Life's difficulties may change our circumstances.  But the one constant is our love for each other.  There is absolutely nothing I won't do for my kids.  They know I would walk through fire for them.

This first 25 years have literally flown by.  I hope that I am here to witness your next 25 and beyond.  I am always proud of you and the fine man you have grown to be.  You are full of character and understanding, you have empathy for your fellow man.  The world is truly a much better place with you in it.  I am constantly amazed at you and the impact you make on those around you.

I love you Jonathon, my Sparky boy.  Happy birthday.