Sweet Sixteen

Four days until Lincoln's SIXTEENTH birthday.  

Can you believe it?? Fo Real!?  

For some reason I am more emotional this year than I have been in the past few years.  I think it's because it feels like we've hit a milestone.  A big one.  My boy will be 16.  He's taller than me.  He will occasionally kiss my forehead, or pat it in a patronizing way. ;)  My sixteen year old knows EVERYTHING or at least that's what he will tell you.  

Recently, my daughter asked, "Why would anyone want to have kids?".  I'll admit the question made me a little sad, but I answered as best I could.

"Because when you have kids you are in love everyday."  

I explained that even when our kids are bratty, moody teenagers, we are still absolutely in love with them - we may not like their behavior at certain times, but we are still crazy about them.  

Sixteen years....whew.....I remember just praying that he would make it through that first night.  I couldn't hold him until a few days after his birth.  I couldn't even SEE him his first day, my eyes would not focus....I relied on Polaroids that his grandparents had taken of him.  

"Lincoln Powell Murphy" 

The NICU nurses said it was a STONG name.  

They said he had a big name to live up to.

I say, he already has.