our twelve year old

It happens every year.  The calendar turns and then – right away it seems – we celebrate another birthday for this oldest son of mine.  A part of me clings to the notion that he is still my little boy.  I don’t want to think about teenage years and hard(er) questions and high school and the future.  But I know all of those things are inevitable.  So, I take stock of where we’re at, and I find myself hopeful for what God has in store for him, and thankful for the character and conviction that are being revealed in these days.

Caedmon doesn’t really care what other people think of him, and for that I am so relieved.  It’s not that he doesn’t want to be liked…that desire just isn’t strong enough for him to change who he is to fit in.  This is the boy who still gets excited when a fresh order of missionary biographies comes in the mail, the boy who already has a longing for babies of his own, the boy who asked for a croquembouche instead of a birthday cake.  He’s okay being different.  He doesn’t apologize for his differences.  And he doesn’t criticize others for their differences.

He is a thinker, and a debater, for sure…and of course he wants to always be right…but he’s starting to learn when he needs to hold loosely to an idea, and when to stand by his convictions no matter what.  Although we’re still working on not trying to justify wrong actions, we’re finding, too, that he more readily understands and accepts explanations about humility and repentance.

He is a self-starter who doesn’t prefer to wait for someone else to do something when he can do it himself.  He will get the hammer and search out nails protruding from the floor, just because they’re bothering him and he can do something about it.  The other day, he grabbed a pair of pliers and climbed onto a chair to fix a non-functioning door latch.  He spear-heads all science experiments (albeit occasionally with a bit too much of a commanding attitude) and helps keep everyone on-track with chores and schoolwork.

He loves to laugh.  He loves music.  He loves reading.  He loves writing.

He diligently spends time each morning reading his Bible and reviewing memory verses.  Although he’s not our most exuberant worshiper, he knows the lyrics better than any of us (even me, usually).  The Word of God is hidden in his heart, and while his understanding is still unrefined in many areas, we see in his moments of uncertainty and frustration about life that he recognizes the authority and truth of the Bible, and is willing to let it shape his response, and speak hope and peace into the hard moments.

I love Caedmon.  And I like Caedmon.  He is such a gift to our family, such a treasure to this mama’s heart.  It is a privilege to be celebrating his twelve years today.

2 thoughts on “our twelve year old

  1. Just beautiful, Lori. You’ve got a wonderful boy there! Tell him Happy Birthday from Uncle Michael and Aunt Michele.

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