This is not right....it just can't be!!

How can I have a son that is big enough for a bike that would fit me???

How can I have a son that's old enough, and responsible enough for a gun?? That's right, a gun!!

Is this really true? Can this really be? Is this really happening? It is true. It really can be. And, yes, it is really happening!

Jonah turns 10 on Saturday. 10. 10 years old. Double digits. The year they gain an extra hour at bed time. The year we consider guns and pocket knifes if you're responsible enough. When the boys kept asking about getting a BB gun or a pocket knife, Mr. Goose Poop and I sat down and decided when you turn 10 is the year we'd take into consideration your maturity level and decide after that. It sounded like a good idea at the time. It was like a year and a half ago. Plenty of time, I thought, for me to warm up to the idea. Well, now it's here. I have a son who's 10, and who we decided was old enough for a BB gun. What was I thinking??? Or wasn't I??

Now, there are rules, of course, for the BB gun. It will always be put up, it's never shot in the city, only shot at a target with Styrofoam behind it, yadda yadda yadda. And most importantly, you have to take a crash course in gun safety taught by no other than Mr. Goose Poop.

I have all the faith in the world that he's responsible enough to have it, hence the reason he got it in the first place. It's just still not right. He can't be 10 years old yet. He just can't. Anyway, doesn't that make me old?? Having a 10 year old son? I told you I didn't want to turn 30...

At any rate, Happy Happy Birthday to my dear Jonah. I'm so glad God made you a part of my family. I can't imagine my life without you in it. Without your goofy humor. Without your witty remarks. Without your smarts. And yes, Jonah, even without your bad ass attitude sometimes!! It makes you who you are. Who God decided you'd be. And most of all, I can't imagine life without your hugs and kisses before bed every night. (Don't worry, I won't tell your friends you still kiss your mom good night!!) They make the hectic day seem ok. The world melt around me. Last night, when dad and I put you to bed, and you whispered in my ear that you got the best birthday gifts ever, thanked me, and told me you loved me, it made the whole hectic week around here disappear. Thank you, for that I feel truly blessed.

Happy birthday to my dear Jonah, happy birthday to my 10 year old gun owning, big kid bike riding, responsible, double digit son.