May 20

It's strange to think that it's been a whopping four years since I all-but forced Abby to attend her eighth grade promotion dance and she wound up having the time of her young life. (She still calls it the best dance she's ever been to, in fact, and that's with Senior Ball under her belt.) But it has indeed been four years, and as proof of that truth, this evening Isaac dress shirted it up and headed off to his eighth grade promotion dance.

He doesn't really own dress clothes these days; not even a button down shirt, much less an actual tie, so he borrowed both from Adam. He'd never worn a tie before so I watched as Adam put it around his neck, fastened the knot, and secured the buttons on his shirt collar. 

And as I looked at him in that shirt and tie, I realized just how much he's grown and changed since he started middle school. He's more than six inches taller, of course; as they stood together, I noticed that the difference between their heights is miniscule. But beyond that, he's become a thoughtful, inquisitive, and personable young man who loves baseball and dogs and his friends and his family. Just to throw out a quick example of who he is.... A few mornings ago as we drove to school, he was talking aloud as he mulled the future. He noted that he likes to do lots of different things, and when I asked what he thought he might want to do for a living, he replied that he'd considered being a missionary (although he wasn't sure it would align with his skill set. I assured him that if that's his calling, it'd work out). And my heart just leapt, because it was such an Isaac response.

Anyway, yes. I'm proud of this kid of mine and I'm grateful to God for choosing me to be his mom. And I hope he's having fun at the dance and making memories just like his big sister did four years ago.