Reflections on Josiah's 18th Birthday

Today I became the parent of an adult. Josiah is now 18. I honestly don't know how these years have gone by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was playing with him, reading books, and teaching him to ride a bike. That little blonde boy still has the same gentle spirit and his smile still melts my heart today. I was 23 when Josiah was born. He was my first and he was the guinea pig. The things that I thought I knew about raising a child, didn't always work out. I probably made a lot of mistakes, although looking back none of them were really that big of a deal because in the end, I loved this child with a love so deep that I would move heaven and earth for him. As a little boy, he always made me laugh. At swimming lessons, around age 6, he jumped off the diving board and landed on his instructor. With all that water and the fact that he really couldn't swim yet, he figured that was the safest place to land. He didn't always err on the side of safely. I remember the neighbor who knocked on my door to inform me that Josiah was standing on top of the cab of the pick-up truck. And boy did this child like to climb trees! One summer I caught him at the top of our maple tree with his Nerf gun. He was a sniper and anyone who walked down the sidewalk that day was fair game. As the years progressed, he became more reserved than he was as a little boy, but he was always thinking, always taking in information. I am so proud of the man he has become. He loves the Lord. He has learned the value of hard work and how important it is to help those in need. Next fall he will start college. This will be a year of transition for both of us. I pray for strength for the journey ahead, and wisdom to make good choices. Josiah has been such a blessing to me, and I thank God for the opportunity to raise him.