11 and counting

 On May 18, Hudson turned 11.  It is really amazing to think that this boy, my baby, could already be 11.  Wasn't it yesterday I was holding him and wondering how I would manage 2 babies?  And today, they pretty much manage themselves. 

I am so thankful for the special gift of a son.  Hudson is one of the most caring, serving, helpful boys I have met (not that I am biased).  He constantly thinks of others and what they need, and is more than willing to help and meet needs.  One of his biggest gifts is his compassion for others.  As a mom, I couldn't be prouder or more humbled at his tender servant's heart.  I learn from him every day. 

He loves to spend hours on the phone talking to his Pa about cars and bus routes and just the goings-on in his day to day life. He loves to go outside and ride bikes with his friends.  He is an avid sports fan.  Right now, he is wearing his Mavericks gear daily....Thunder wear has been banned until the Mavs/Thunder series concludes.  But in a few months all of the Mavs jerseys will be replaced by OU Football, which is never too far from his mind.  He loves his family and is really looking forward to big family meals together over the next year.  Hudson loves to laugh and is usually having fun wherever he is and no matter what he is doing.  He truly brings great joy to our life. 

This year, we knew we would be traveling on his birthday, so a week before we invited 4 of his closest friends here to come for the weekend.  The weekend? Yes.  You see, his friends live all over this province, 2 - 3 hours away from us, all in different areas.  So when you have to travel 3 hours one way to a party, you might as well stay a few days. :)  We had a great time with these boys.  Hudson made a menu of all his favorite meals, so I stayed busy in the kitchen making food....11 and 12 yr old boys can eat a lot!  They swam, played outside, played basketball, wrestled, and just had a great time!  On the last night, we invited all of Hudson's local friends to eat cake and have a party with us.  We had a full house of boys.  The local boys had a great time playing party games and eating chocolate cake. It was a great weekend!!

I don't know if you can tell from this picture, but I love it.  Isn't it the best to have a dad who really plays with you and your friends?  Hudson thinks so for sure, and so do I!!!   Here is Rob in action with Hudson and his friends! I am sooooo thankful to have a married a man who is an AWESOME dad!!