My Cup of Tea: Happy Birthday Rian

"They really don't know what's coming do they?"

It's so hard to believe that my "baby" is 15 today and that another year of his life has passed so quickly. Then again, with Rian everything tends to move at 'warp speed' so I guess I really shouldn't be surprised!

WHY shouldn't I wear lipstick?

WHY Should I Use a Spoon for this?

He was 'up and running' long before he was actually born and hasn't stopped yet. I used to say that he was "going" from the time he got up in the morning until I strapped him into bed at night. Of course I never really tied him down, but it obviously crossed my mind at time or two!

He is still the same 'child' to this day! Of course he doesn't run around like a two year old anymore ...well...not usually anyway, BUT his brain never seems to stop (except maybe when it's time for school!). I always thought of Rian as a "strong willed" child, but when I'd read those books it wouldn't really describe him at all... As I look back I don't don't see what I thought was 'rebellion' what I see is 'creativity'... When Rian asked "why?" to "Go put your toys away" I don't think he was asking 'why' or 'if' he had to put his toys away, I think he was asking "why do I have to pick this toy up with my hands?...why can't I pick it up with my feet and then crawl down the hall on my hands? ... or balance it on my head?... or..???.." I'm sure you can imagine the frustration this caused the other 4 people in the family who ended up picking up the toys 'with him?'...(Gerad, who shared a room with him for years, is thinking 'yeah right...I picked up everyone of his toys FOR him...' ) He still asks those questions, like, why do I have to do this math problem like this, why can't I.....???? and it still frustrates those of us who live with him like crazy! But as we see him grow we at least understand it a bit more...

Why can't I catch fish with this wood, line & a hook?

In his short life span, Rian has taught me so many things! Like, how radically different patience and persistence are! I can't explain it to you here, but I can tell you that Rian is the most persistent person I know, which has pushed me into being way more patient than I ever thought I could be (which isn't saying much!!). He is the perfect picture of "Where there's a will, there's a way!" He has taught me that there is most certainly "more than one way to skin a cat." And to never give up even when the people closest to you think you're crazy!! Take a lesson from me....whatever you do, don't tell him "That won't work... you can't do that" because he WILL prove you wrong, even if it takes a year and a half to do it!

Why can't I make that out of cardboard?

In so many ways Rian is just a typical teenager, he thinks we should live on Pizza and soda. He likes to hang out with his friends, play video games, go snowboarding, play baseball, etc... but in so many other ways he is this amazing young man, that yes, drives me crazy on a daily basis, but brings so much joy and creativity to our home and I can't imagine what it would be like with out him!

I don't know what God has in store for Rian... I think Engineering might work for him (if he could just focus a bit more on that Algebra...) and he often gazes out the window thinking... "I want to fly one of those" (that would be an F-22 fighter jet). . . We'll see... one thing I do know is that when Rian figures out what his calling is, you need to move out of his way, because there will be NO stopping him!

As a mom watching my children, all to quickly, grow into adults, I love that in the midst of their growth and change, God continues to give me glimpses of those little people I used to know in the wonderful people they are today. And how fun it is to see how God has taken those little pieces of personality that I did not understand at all when they were little and made them into the people he intended them to be. What an awesome God!