Yup, you read that right. TEN. Ten is a big deal, and I am so crazy blessed to have lived these last ten years with him. It was SO SO good and SO incredibly beautiful ten years ago when he was placed on my chest for the first time. In an instant I knew a brand new love and it consumed me. It literally changed who I was. It even changed my name. I was now Momma. I had dreamed of being Momma since I was a baby myself. A little toddler toting a baby doll…when I grew up all I ever wanted to be was Momma. And in that instant Jesus gave me the desires of my heart. It was overwhelming and that day was SO Great.
But these days are even better. As a child growing up, you don’t daydream about having a “tween”. Or at least I didn’t. I imagined snuggling a baby, strolling a baby, playing with my baby in the yard. Dressing my baby up in sweet little outfits. But never in my little fantasies did I conjure up a moment when my stinky, dirty, sweaty from playing outside all day little boy would plop down beside me on the couch and lay his stinky, dirty, sweaty head on my shoulder. I didn’t daydream about that. Ever. And, no, that dirty boy smell is certainly not the best thing ever. In fact, when that happens, I usually let him rest his head there for a minute and then respond with a “SHEW, Child, get upstairs and WASH yourself!” Because a ten year old boy has the ability of stinking worse than anything else I’ve ever smelled. An attribute he’s proud of, I assure you. But underneath that funky smell is the most beautiful heart and most intriguing mind I have ever known. The conversations that I am able to have with him now are mind blowing. What I would give for an hour to go back in time and rock that sweet, happy baby boy. The one with the bald head that smelled like baby powder and was perfect for kissing. That smile that was toothless for nearly all of his first year of life. Those days were precious and I treasure them. These days are better.
They’re better because of those baby days. Every rocking chair moment, every story read, every play time on the beach or at the park. Every trip to the ER, every game we’ve played, every argument we’ve ever had {and there have been a LOT!}…they have all shaped our relationship that we have right now. I love knowing this ten year old boy. He’s Awesome.
{Here’s where I become Annoying Mom and start telling you how awesome my kid is. And I’m not going to apologize about that. Because, quite frankly, there are plenty of people in this world who will tell him how he’s not awesome. I’m not going to be one of them.}
He’s funny. A lot of times he has that “trying too hard to make you laugh and it’s really not very funny at all” thing going on. When he doesn’t try, though? The kid is stinkin’ hilarious. He has this dorky dance that he does that gets me every time. He knows it will work and he uses it to his advantage. Smart boy.
Speaking of smart, he so is. It blows my mind how fast he can learn something when he puts forth the effort. A few weeks back we were having some focusing issues. That’s putting it mildly, actually. The boy couldn’t concentrate to save his life. We had many Come to Jesus moments and I bought some hocus pocus voodoo {not really} essential oils, and he has completely turned around. He has worked so hard these past few weeks and it really shows. I’m so proud of his efforts!
He’s a people person in a family of introverts. He craves being around others, no matter their age, and has no fears of walking into a new social situation when he knows no other soul who will be there. He likes to make people laugh and enjoys conversation. Clara Beth told me recently, “I’m so glad I have Makgill at campgrounds. He always finds friends for us.” It’s so true! The boy can seek out a new buddy faster than I’ve ever seen. I’m in awe because it’s a skill I certainly don’t possess. I love him for it.
His ten year old interests are pretty foreign to me, but I guess that makes sense as I’ve never been a ten year old boy. He still loves tennis and it’s been amazing to see his game improve over the last three years. He plays weekly with the group that he started with three years ago, and with my Dad any chance he gets. In the Spring, team tennis will start back up and he’s eagerly counting down the days. He loves guitar but can’t sit still long enough to practice it. While Clara Beth and I spend time shopping, reading, or doing art projects, you can frequently find Mak and Collin out in the backyard shooting a fake deer with their new bows. Or squirrels with airsoft guns. Riding bikes with his neighborhood gang, pelting friends with Nerf gun bullets, and chasing Emme across the yard are all ways he chooses to spend his free time. He has some kind of crazy expensive remote control car that worked hard to get. Saving money is not a skill that comes naturally to my boy, but he worked hard at odd jobs and saved every penny to get this car. He loves it and races it everywhere. You will almost never find him sitting around reading a book for the fun of it. He’s nothing like me. He’s very much like his Daddy.
Recently he, along with Clara Beth and his cousin Tallon, was baptized in the YMCA pool. My brother baptized him in the same pool that Reeves, Andrew, and I were baptized in years ago. Out of all parenting experiences we’ve had thus far, I can’t imagine a more incredible one than when your child comes to you and expresses his desire to give his heart to Jesus. It’s indescribable. Watching the four of them in that pool as the three little ones took that next step in their faith was beautiful and mind blowing all at the same time. Our God is SO AWESOME!
So that’s a little bit about my Mak at age ten. We butt heads 20 million times a day. He frustrates me to no end and I’m confident that the feeling is mutual. But there is no other boy on the planet that I would rather butt heads with. These pictures from this session blow me away. How in the world are we already here? When I stop to think about it, though, ten is a pretty perfect place to be. No doubt, he’s still a child…but he’s not a baby or a toddler or even a little kid. He’s a big kid who is awarded certain freedoms yet doesn’t feel the burden of responsibilities that will come as he grows into adulthood. I’m so blessed to be able to do TEN with this guy! Thank you, Jesus!
I can’t type. I’ve written several things and erased them. I can’t say anything for the tears in my eyes. I’m so blessed to call this boy my grandson. I love him so much.
Aaron, this was so beautifully written and the essence of Mak at 10 years old was captured perfectly in his photographs.I feel by looking at his pictures and reading your comments about him, I know this young man. How blessed he is to have you two as parents.No doubt he will grow up to be a fine young man.