Happy 12th Birthday Andrew!!!

My brother holding my niece, and the little brown bebe is Andrew:



Andrew & Mommy @ Park...look how young we BOTH look! :


Andrew (far left)in with his cousins in San Felipe, MX:


Andrew giving bessos to his new little brother, Joseph:


Andrew's Kindergarten picture:

Andrew & Daddy...



Andrew being his usual crazy self...I guess the glass was too cold :-) :





Today is Andrew's birthday. He is 12...and I just can't get my mind wrapped around the idea that it has been twelve long years since I gave birth to him. It amazes me that I have already been a mom for that long, yet, I hardly remember life without him.
When I gave birth to him, he came out looking totally Hispanic (I am white and his dad is Hispanic), he didn't even look like he belonged to me. He had beautiful skin, and thick, black silky hair (although I have to admit I was kinda freaked out by how hairy he was), and he smelled so good (he really did). His uncle Daniel joked that he looked Chinese because of the shape of his eyes. And, even though newborns aren't always that attractive, all red, wrinkly and squinty eyed....they are always beautiful to their mother who waited 9 long months to meet them and then endured the most awful pain known to man or woman!
I was so young, and I had no idea what I had gotten myself into, but it was love at first site with Andrew. David picked his name, I thought it would be neat for David to be able to name his firstborn, especially his son. When I look at pictures from back then, it looks like we should have been babysitting him, not be his parents. We went through many trials and struggles, but we are still here, all these years later, and during that time have added two more to our brood.
Since I was so young when I had him, as sad as it sounds, we kinda all grew up together the first few years. It wasn't fair to him, and I do NOT condone teen pregnancy (or premarital sex for that matter), but having him kept me from making so many other wrong choices in my life. It was a time when I was starting to "experiment", and having him totally changed my life, I am so thankful for him. He literally saved me from twists and turns that only God knows about.
I, along with his Dad, have watched him grow so quickly. It seems like I only blinked, and now he is turning 12...one year away from being a teen. I am so thankful...he has always been so healthy, happy, behaved (for the most part)and done well in school. He has a heart of gold, even though his attitude has gotten the best of both of us lately (don't think it's anything to do with those hormones, do ya?). And while he and his brother fight like cats and dogs...I know deep down he truly cares for him.
About 6 years ago (when Andrew was 6 and Joseph was 2) we went on vacation to the Beach. We stopped along halfway at a hotel to get some rest. At about 2am I heard a loud alarm, woke up and looked over at David...at the same time we sat up and said "Fire Alarm". The whole hotel was being evacuated. I was scared to death...I reached over to grab Joseph...he wasn't there...I looked up and Andrew was standing at the door with his baby brother in his arms yelling to David and I "We have to get out of here"...and we did, and we were all safe and everything was fine...but every time I tell that story, I break down in tears...just as I am doing right now.
There was another time we had rented a jump house for a bday party. Those things have to stay plugged in because they constantly blow air to stay inflated. Someone accidentally unplugged it, all the big kids jumped out...Andrew turned to see Joseph left in the bounce house, it was deflating super quick and could suffocate him with all that heavy, thick plastic, Andrew dove back in and grabbed Joseph and drug him out.
He likes to go to the nursing home and visit with the elderly. He used to love to spend the night with Mamaw and stay up watching old movies. He used to hide under G-ma's bed when she was laying in it, and giggle until she realized he was under there. He loved reading Paddington Bear and Guess How Much I Love You and No David. He had a fished he named "Pisha" that he won at the State Fair and it died...we had to flush it down the toilet. He cried. Once when he was 4 yrs. old he went to play in the back yard (it had a privacy fence and locked gate), after a few minutes I went out to check on him, I couldn't find him...I looked everywhere and started to panic...only to hear "Mom, I'm up here"...he was on top of the roof. He was/still is one talented climber. Even though he is short, like his father and I, he is a very fast runner. He loves math and is very good at it...He is in ACC math this year, but he HATES all the homework. He has begged for a cell phone for years, but I have resisted...not sure how much longer I can do that though.
I am most proud of him for leading a friend of his to know Jesus Christ, even though he is the type that doesn't like to talk about stuff much (he's kinda private, a loner, if you will)...that's ok, because actions speak louder than words, and I was amazed that my son was already letting GOD work through him...such an amazing feeling as a mom.
Although there are days when I want to strangle him...I love him in more ways than I can count...and I'm thankful beyond measure for him.
I am so proud of Andrew...our little "peedy" (shortened from his grandpas nickname for him...Speedy Gonzalez). He means nothing short of everything to me. I praise the Lord for blessing his dad and I with him. And, although it is hard seeing him growing up so fast and becoming more and more independent, I look forward to the man that he will one day become.
Thank you all for letting me share this tidbit about my son, because truth is, I could go on for days, but figured this was enough for now.

Happy Birthday, Son...God Bless and keep you safe...We love you unconditionally, forever and always!

Mom

from The Power of a Praying Parent:
"I pray that my child will so love the Lord with all his heart, soul, and mind that there will be no room in him for the lies of the Enemy or the clamoring of the world. May the Word of God take root in his heart and fill his mind with things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely,of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy.
(Philippians 4:8)

PS..for those that noticed, I am posting this a little before midnight on 9/9...but this is meant for 9/10, which is 30 mins. away, so it will have to do :-)