My Baby's Fifteen??!!

3 months old...sweetie pie!!

 

How in the world did this happen??  I know those of you with kids much older than mine are probably laughing at me right now, because 15 sounds so young, but for me?  I cannot BELIEVE my first baby boy just celebrated his 15th birthday!  Wow.  Just a few more years and he will be grown and gone. (but forever my baby!) I know now how quickly that few years is going to pass! 

Jake, obviously, was our first.  After dating for 4 1/2 years and being married for about 2 or 3, we really wanted to start our family.  We had always talked about having 5 or 6 kids, and everyone thought we were crazy (guess we still are!). When it came time, in our minds, to begin having children, things didn't go exactly as we planned.  It took over a year to get pregnant with Jake, which I know compared to SO many out there who have strugged with conceiving is NOTHING, but when you are in the middle of walking it out, it feels, month after month, like eternity!  Some of you know what I mean.  Maybe someone reading this right now even knows what I am talking about because you are living it in this very moment!  It's easy now to throw out "one year", in hindsight, because I now have not one, but SIX blessings, but in the middle of it day in and day out, not knowing what the future held, it was very emotional. I didn't know the Lord would give us 6 children...I started wondering if He would ever give us any.  All I had EVER wanted to be since I was a little girl, was a mommy.  Yes, I went to college...nursing school, in fact, and it was great for me.  I worked in the Mother-Baby Unit, taught childbirth classes, and did community education in some of the schools and businesses around our county and the surrounding counties.  I really did love what I did, and I knew it was for me, but I knew in my heart of hearts that being a mommy and raising children was what the Lord had called me to do...had wired me to do.  I guess I'm writing all of this just to say that God is faithful.  Even when you're in the middle of something that doesn't seem to make sense, He DOES have it under control, seeing the big picture of what is to come, even when I cannot.  Once we did find out, after that 13 months, that we were actually pregnant, we were in shock!  Thrilled, stunned, excited, scared, and every other emotion you feel when you first find out you are pregnant! 

I recently found my journal where I wrote once or twice a month throughout my pregnancy with Jake, and it was overwhelming reading some of my thoughts and prayers for our little baby boy well before we even knew him.  Sometime I really should share some of those writings here.  The exact timing and person of Jake Dallas, we wouldn't change one bit.  He was ordained to be born the exact date he was, and was created with great purpose for such a time as this. 

Jake has always had a deep, serious heart about the things of  God.  One of my good friends still talks about how Jake would be on the Chick-fil-a playground when he was 3 years old asking children if they knew Jesus, and if they didn't he would tell them!  When he was 3 (and I have this written and dated in a journal, so I'm NOT exaggerating!!) he came to me one day and asked, "Mama, how do I get wisdom?  I want wisdom, Mommy.  How do I get it?"  He was as serious as he could be, so I told him.  I told him God's word says, "If any one of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all, without finding fault, and it will be given to him." That sweet baby boy immediately shook his head, walked over to our big kitchen window, and looked up at the sky out that window and said, "God...I want wisdom.  PLEASE give me wisdom, Lord. Amen."  I believe he meant it with everything in his little 3 year old heart and soul.  And God answered.  He granted what Jake asked, just as His word said. 

Jake at 3 years old in our backyard playing (always been a big boy!)

 

Now, I'm not saying, for a minute, that Jake is some perfect child...any of you who know him well, do know his faults and shortcomings...in fact, the ironic thing about Jake is that as much as he has going for him, he is quite quick to recognize his own weaknesses...maybe too much!  (In  other words, he's quite hard on himself, even when no one else is, and that can be a good thing or a bad thing).  He does have a heart for the things of God that is unique.  He is passionate about learning...always has been, honestly.  Just naturally....not our doing, but God's...we've just helped guide him in what was already there.  He adores Creation Science, loves History, and reads like there's no tomorrow.  He is a natural writer, and loves writing in his free time, too.  He's working on two of his own books right now quite seriously, and he's really doing an incredible job...blows me away.  Who knows?!  His favorite writers are J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. I have joked that we should have named him Clive!  (which he quickly reminds me was a name Lewis hated himself!).  He thinks, pretty seriously, that he wants to be a preacher in some sense, but doesn't know if that will be in some way as an actual pastor or maybe some kind of missionary, doctor, creation scientist, etc.  He knows he wants to write, though, and he's happy knowing he can do that along with any field where the Lord places him.  On top of  his "brainy" side, he loves sports, too, especially football, wrestling, and running.  He would tell you himself he isn't the most natural athlete in the family, but he is so disciplined and determined at everything he does that he has had great success already in those sports.  He has put in the work and now it's really starting to pay off.  Most importantly, he's a great leader both on and off the field, and he's not afraid to be his own man...exactly who and how God created him to be. 

I've said this before in one of the other kids' "birthday posts" that I almost hesitate posting some of this, because I am NOT trying to give the impression this child is perfect...remember, this is a post honoring his strengths, not weaknesses!  With my children's permission, maybe at some  point I can write each of them (anonymously, right?!) each a post about their weaknesses and the way we talk with them regularly about needing to work on these areas!!  TRUST me, we all have them!!!  (and yes, the "we" was intentional!) What I pray this post does is honor the young man that Jake is becoming and give glory to the Father for His hand in Jake's life. 

 

Thank you, Jake D, for making me smile every day...being your mama is a joy and a blessing.  Thank you for being the Godly example you are to your brothers and sister, and to your friends.  Stay focused, pursue all the Lord has for you, and never, ever give up, no matter what life brings your way.  You ARE a mighty young man of God, and I look forward to seeing all the Lord has in store for you in the years ahead. I love you with all my heart!

Fishing with Daddy...almost 2 years old

on his first birthday...sweetness!!

Just barely 2 years old wearing his daddy's number then...and still wears it now

(always been a big boy!)

 

4 years old

about 8 years old...always been a tree climber!

Catching Dad!!  (This was spring of this year..he's grown more since!!)

Writing on his book...a very regular site around our house!

14th birthday (last year)

 

                                                     This football season at GCA

P.S.- The Mama in me feels the need to mention that Caleb is the only one of my kiddos who still doesn't have a "detailed" birthday or "about me" kind of post.  Twins and Z were last year. Elly and Jake just got theirs in the past month...Caleb, it's coming eventually!! You know your mama loves you! (: