When He Grows Up

I hate to think of my little guy growing up.  But I know it'll happen.  It's inevitable.  There are certain things I hope for his future.  And then, there's things I expect...

I hope he will be a Godly man.  I hope, above all else, he will love and serve God, and be salt and light to those around him.  I hope he will be happy.  I hope he finds a way to earn a living at something he can find joy, contentment, and even passion in.  I hope he has a kind wife whom he loves deeply and who treats him with respect.  I hope he has children to delight in as I delight in him.

I don't care if he has a fancy title or lots of money.  I don't need him to buy me a house or a fancy car.  I only want him to have a good, strong work ethic, bring honor to the family name, and be someone trustworthy.  I don't care if he lives in a posh neighborhood or wears name-brand anything.  I just want him to have a good heart.

What I expect, however, is some bumps along the road.  I expect he'll break my heart at least once.  I expect he and his dad will fight (yelling, not beating.)  I expect him to annoy the tar out of any younger siblings.  I expect he'll disobey.  But I also expect him to still want to hug me.  I expect he'll still want nothing more than to be outside playing with his dad, be it golf, baseball, basketball, or time working on the car.  I expect he'll be a heartbreaker.  And I expect he'll get dumped a time or two.

And oddly enough, I expect he'll somehow be famous.  I am not a stage mom.  I have no desire to be.  I'll won't push him towards a career or try to vicariously fulfill my dreams through him.  I don't have the foggiest idea what he'll grow up to be.  But I would honestly be more surprised if he isn't famous than I would be if he is.  He has all sorts of interests at this age.  So I cannot pin down WHY he would ever be famous.  But his personality just tends to draw people in like a strange, giant, dimpled magnet.

He's just this two-year-old force of nature.  And I have encountered very few people who are not enamored with him almost instantly.  It's rather bizarre.  I'm not bragging on my kid.  He's happy, sure.  But to me, he's just my kid.  And because he's my first, I consider this "normal."  I assume all kids are as he is.  But maybe not.  I will NEVER wish him to grow up any faster.  It's going too fast as it is.  But I am intrigued as to the man he'll someday become.