Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Happy Birthday Kevin


I don't really know how it is possible....but my oldest turns 25 today. The boy with the pink hair is all grown up. Scott was in school in Rexburg and I was home with my parents. Babies on Alberta Health Care were a lot more afforable than our student insurance. I called Scott and said "I'm in labor." He took off for the 12 hour trip and arrived 10 hours after Kevin was born to find me passed out on the hospital room floor. I'll never forget the hutterites looking at that 9lb 5oz baby and saying "He looks big enough to drive the tractor already." Kevin was the easiest baby. He would lay on grandma Jackson's couch for hours and just look around without a sound. Grandma used to say "I wish he had a clear head so I could see the wheels turning." I had so many hopes and dreams as they placed Kevin in my arms. Raising him was an absolute joy. His toddler years were so enjoyable. Kevin learned to read very young and I'll always remember him laying on the waterbed with me when he was five and reading Tom Sawyer to me. We did this everynight. His love for reading has continued throughout his life. Kevin was a pretty easy teenager. We didn't even have to disagree with his music choices during those years. He was a huge Beetles fan when he was growing up. One of the qualities Kevin has that I love the most is his love for old people. Hs piano recitals were held at an assisted living facility and we had walked in and I turned around and there was no sign of Kevin. He had stopped to talk to this older gentleman in the hall and they were deep in conversation. Kevin was so good to his grandpa Jackson when grandma passed away. He would go next door to dads every single night. They would sit and talk for hours. Kevin knows more about Lloyd than any of his own kids I think. When Kevin left on his mission grandpa said "I miss my best friend." I am so proud of the man that Kevin has grown into. He is everything I dreamed he would be. Happy Birthday my dear boy. Thanks for all these years of joy.