My "Bubs" turns 28 today

In the south we have a tradition of assigning nicknames to children. Maybe because we're trying to make up for giving our kids such long names. Names that are often said together like one word instead of the two that they really are...like BarbaraJean or BillyKeith. And some southern families carry traditions a little far and ascribe multiple "family" names to the poor tykes. Then we just call 'em Sissy or Bobo or, in the case of my son, Bubs. I'm the only one who calls him this; he goes by Jon with everyone else. But then we lived in the north for most of his growing up years, so what do you expect?

Anyway...my Bubs is 28 today. TWENTY-EIGHT! Where have the years gone? I swear it was just yesterday we drove to the hospital in the first blizzard of the season to deliver our little bundle of joy. I love telling the story but included it here last year so I won't repeat myself. Suffice it to say, the big moments in your life are marked indelibly on your mind and in your heart and I'll never forgot the experience.

Unless (or until?) I go senile.

Although our son is the spitting image of his father -- the face recognition program for archiving photos gets them mixed up -- he's probably more like me in temperament. We also enjoy the same kind of books, t.v. shows and movies but he's definitely got his dad's bent toward engineering and fixing things. A nice jumble of the two of us.

However, he is most certainly his own person! And it has been a joy to see him become the man he is today... the husband, brother, son, friend, co-worker...and child of God.

Twenty-eight years have gone by in a flash. I pray the next 28 will be filled with as much fun, joy and passion for life that have marked the first 28.

There's a boatload of love coming your way, Bubs, on this 17th of December.

  ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! 

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Thanks for everyone who prayed as my daughter traveled! She arrived safe and sound and the plane was even on schedule :-)