2020

 This kid. This sweet, baby boy. 

Here he is at daycare, barely two years old. 

We'd just moved to Texas, and we had a whole life ahead of us. 

Kindergarten wasn't even on the horizon.

 How in the world did we make it to senior year? 

Look at how he and his girlfriend went off to camp and didn't even plan to wear matching college shirts to the school they very well might attend together.

 Here they are getting ready to go to Colorado with him sporting his new letterman jacket, knowing Colorado might actually have temperatures conducive for it. 

And here he is getting ready for his senior yearbook picture.

Be still my heart. More senior pics will come later in the year, ones a bit more suited to his cowboy boots and jeans personality. He's wanting his highly skilled photographer aunt in Indiana to take his pictures, but we're not quite sure how to work that out yet since we don't have a trip to Indiana planned anytime in the next 9 months. 

I truly soak up every bit of time I can get this kid to still hang out with me. I remember summers being all about hanging out with my buddy. Summer was all about me and David and whatever adventures we could find to do together. Riding bikes, going for walks, swimming, playing video games, going to dollar movies, reading books, playing games like Sorry and Monopoly, making blueberry pancakes every morning for breakfast, etc. Now this boy is constantly on the go, so I have to be ready to drop everything at a moment's notice to spend time with him in between his active church/work/soccer/truck/social life. 

This summer alone, he spent five days as a middle school camp leader in Austin, spent a week at high school camp in Colorado, went on a week-long mission trip in the Valley (Mission, Texas), worked many long, hot hours for a few different people trying to earn the funds for his trip, worked countless hours at Chick Fil-A, spent quite a bit of time with his girlfriend and church friends, and is currently still working on rebuilding his truck with a new/used transmission, among other things, with his dad. As you can see, summer didn't include much mom-time like it used to, but we still found time to squeeze in a quality moment here and there. 

I'm so thankful we love to play games anytime and anywhere, and that we still have deep talks while taking a drive somewhere or going for a walk around the block together. Many nights this summer I've waited up for him to come home from work late at night, and the first thing he says when he walks in the door is if I'm up for a game of Skipbo or Uno or Phase 10. Overly tired or not, I'm always up for a late night game or two with my son. I love that we have such a simple thing as a card game to keep us close and connected even in this busy stage of his life. Of course, an hour or two with a game at a coffee shop is preferrable, but if a late night game is all we have time for, then I'll take it. 

2020 always seemed so far away. I can't believe I'll be buying Class of 2020 graduation decor in less than a year. 

May I not let a single moment with this precious child slip by me in the coming year.