My Angel Turned 21 - or - Where Did the Time Go?

I was going to say that I can't believe my Angel is 21 years old - but I can.  I've been here for these past 21 years, watching him grow, and every birthday brought with it the same thought;  "I can't believe he's going to be ___ !"  Whether it was 5, or 7, or 12, or 16, or 18, or now 21 it's always been the same.  Disbelief that my sweet, smiling baby could really be that old.

The whole trouble, I think, is that I can remember so clearly almost everything about his birth and baby days.  You see, our second son wasn't born until my Angel was 7 1/2 years old, so he was my whole focus for those years.


Do you see that bright little face?  Can you almost hear the sweet squeals of delight?  I can, just like yesterday.  And joy fills my heart as tears fill my eyes. 

I received my copy of the NATHHAN News Spring/Summer 2007 this week and was so touched by one of the contributions.   It was nearing Valentine's Day and there was to be a dance at son's Adult Day Program Center.  He wanted to know if Mom would please come to the dance.  Of course!    Mom had asked son if he had a sweetheart and he admitted, while giggling, that he did!  On the day of the dance, Mom arrived at the Center.  She enjoyed watching her son with all of his friends, while trying to guess which of the ladies was his "sweetheart."  On the last song, mother and son took to the dance floor while Anne Murray's  "Could I Have This Dance?" played.   To quote her own words - "He and I stepped on to the dance floor, he slipped his arm around my waist and held my hand.  We swayed to the music, my eyes welling up with tears as I listened to the lyrics . . . . I'll always remember the song they were playing the first time we danced and I knew, as we swayed to the music and held to each other, I fell in love with you . . . .  My thoughts floated back in time to when I first held him in my arms as a little baby boy.  I fell in love and knew that my life would never be the same.  I reflected upon all the growing years between then and now, remembering all the love, the daily care, the assistance that has been required to bring my son into adulthood.  I thought of all the continued care that he will need every day for the rest of his life.  And as the words of the song asked for a lifetime commitment, my heart burst with love for my son, knowing that we would be dancing this dance for a long, long time."   The song ended, the dance ended and Mom and son got into the car to drive home.    Mom asked which of the ladies was his sweetheart?  He laughed and said "You are my sweetie!"


Well, MY Sweetie has grown into a very handsome man now.  But if you look closely, you can still see the bright little face with the light in his eyes.   The squeals of delight that filled my ears have grown a little deeper, and if possible, more enthusiastic!  And even though the rings of baby fat are gone, he fits perfectly in my arms and has filled my heart to overflowing. 

I'm looking forward to the NEXT 21 years!


This post originally published @ HenandChicks.typepad.com