I love this pic of me and Nick!!!!!

Today January 15,2006 my oldest son turns…..25  AAAAAAA!!!!!  I can not believe he is 25.  One quarter of a century.  Where does the time go?????  I am just so impacted by how fast time flies and how slow it moves.  The slow part will be another post.  The fast part is my baby Nicholas is 25.  As I reflect back over the past 25 years I am amazed at how much my life has changed.  I was a 19 year old babe!!!  In both meanings of the word , when Nick was born.  I was so young and so foolish.  It is by God’s grace alone that Nick has survived me as a mom especially in his younger years.  Nick was my first born and no baby could have been loved more at the time.  Mike and I were so young and stupid we did not even comprehend enough to be scared.  We just thought oh we can do this.  Well “this” is hard and challenging.  Nick being the first born is our trial and error baby.  We tried it all on Nick, if it was not right for him than Scott and Katie lucked out…if it worked than Scott and Katie got the same thing.  We were not saved when Nick was born and he really got the brunt of our sinful parenting.  He remembers it ALL.  Scott and Katie were still fairly young when we were saved so they do not really remember.  One of the nicest compliments Nick has given me was when I asked him “how do you know I am saved?”  Meaning me his response was so simple “mom, I remember when you were not saved.”  That spoke volumes to me.  Thank God that He gave Nick that memory so he could see the difference.  Those of you who know Nick, know this has not been an easy walk for him.  He struggles every day with his brothers death and his mere purpose in this life.  But if you know Nick well you also know that he has many evidences of God’s grace upon him.  Nick loves his family so very much.  He values our opinion and sometimes even thinks we are right.  Ha ha  He will tell you that his dad is his best friend.  He has a relationship with Mike that most adult children of the world do not have with their dads.  Nick is very protective of Katie and me.  He truly looks out for our well being and our safety.  He was really starting to have a great relationship with Scott.  They really were coming together as young adults.  He has cousins that he considers siblings and would do anything for them.  Nick is so very sensitive.  He is not a macho man as some would think.  He is very loving and caring especially where his family is concerned.  Nick will tell you that him and God have issues about Scott’s death.  He is working through them and he, I am confident , will wrestle them out.  He is very gifted in prayer.  If Nick prays you just feel the Holy Spirit there.  His prayers are simple but they have power behind them.  I believe that God is going to use that one day as he has in the past.  Nick is so very warm and his friends love him so much.  He will be there for them no matter what.  I see so many Godly fingerprints on Nick and I am so very thankful to God for the blessing of my son.  So HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICHOLAS!!!!  I love you so very deeply.

Mom