Writing an annual birthday letter to my children is something I look forward to each year as a chance to reflect back over the year behind as well as look forward to the year ahead in their lives. This is an open letter to my son on his 15th birthday from me, his mama!
Dear Kye,
Hello to my FIFTEEN year old son! Happy Birthday to the best big brother, our young adult, and my forever little boy.
Wow as I look at these pictures I can truly see your growth and physical maturity before my very eyes. I remember dropping you off to school on your first day of 6th grade and seeing the 8th graders and being in a state of disbelief that soon you’d be among them!
Now here we are…15 years old. A high schooler. One year left of Mama driving you everywhere.
Stop right now and just scroll. Scroll to the bottom of this letter and SEE the change in you since your last birthday! Isn’t it INSANE? Look how much TALLER you got and how much more GROWNY looking too?!?!
It has been such a big year of transitions in your life. Not just the physical ones with your appearance, but in so many aspects as well.
You finished out your 8th grade year in such a great way. You decided to try something new and took up tennis and it was SO much fun watching you on the court and to see you develop a new skill that you enjoyed.
Can I be real with you? Out of all the sports all my babies have played or dabbled in…watching tennis is my favorite. The gorgeous spring weather sitting outside hearing the sound of the ball hit the court and the racket. I just loved it!
Now that you’ve decided not to continue with tennis, I will always have great memories of that season. Who knows maybe someday it’ll inspire me to take up the sport for myself…or maybe at least try pickleball since it’s for old ladies like your mom 😉
This year’s sport is fishing! Kinda random, but also a great opportunity to spend quality time with your sweet friend, Evan. I’m thankful you’re getting to go and do with him and having an experience with learning another sport that will be one you can enjoy into your adulthood years as well.
You’ve also decided to bring the sports full circle and try basketball again. You played in 4th grade and it was your first sport but you didn’t like it. I know now you wish you’d stuck with it as it’s your favorite and you have impressed Daddy and I both with how hard you’ve been working to learn! (Since we’re being fully honest I gotta admit personally tennis matches are more my jam than basketball games ha!)
You completed 8th grade with honor roll and enjoyed TSA as well as FBLA competitions. You were, and always will be, “Kye the News Guy.” All of your teachers adored you and it was always so wonderful visiting the school and hearing all the great things they had to say about you. You left your mark!
I know, though, that middle school wasn’t all fun and good times. It was tough. You felt very isolated and alone. Trying to swim against the stream and stand strong on your morals and values. I’m so proud of you for not giving in, even when it meant you stood alone.
It was also a lot of stress for you. I could see your stress. I could feel your stress. And I just don’t want you to live a life of stress.
I am so thankful that we’re in the position for me to be able to offer you the route of homeschooling. While it’s been a big shift, I see so many benefits of it already!
Time is able to slow down. You don’t feel the pressure – not just from peers but more so from well-meaning adults. You can just be YOU and do your best at the things that YOU want to do! It has been a chance for you to use your gifts and talents and pursue your own interests.
While we are just getting our feet wet, I think it’ll be a good fit and something you look back with gratitude about doing!
Why not do crazy things on top of crazy things? Let’s switch to homeschooling while also in the middle of moving…that’s not insane, right?!?! Did I just mention STRESS? haha!
We have alllll felt the home building and moving stresses. You, like me, have had a hard time leaving your childhood home. The home you will have the most childhood memories in. The one that you’ll probably always see in your dreams when you dream of “home.”
I appreciate the ways in which you stepped up and helped out and rode the wave of craziness as we all faced the challenges in the building and moving process. We’re still adjusting to the new house but I do think, with time, we’ll all feel at home here too!
I know you are LOVING your new bedroom. Decked out in LED lights and decorated just how you wanted it. Plus having a queen size bed (upgraded from that bunkbed twin!). While I know you love no longer sharing the bathroom with the girls…I don’t know if having to share it with Spear is an upgrade?
Even amongst all the new chapter and big life changes, we’ve still had plenty of FUN too. You had an absolute BLAST on the Disney Cruise (I think you even surprised yourself!) and it was such a great opportunity for you to have freedom and independence in a safe environment. We barely saw you because you were so busy running around and hanging out with friends you made at the teen club!
I know the high school years ahead friendships will be a bigger and bigger focus. While I know you’ll continue to choose your friends wisely, I also know ANY friend you have is lucky to have you. You are trustworthy, honest, kind, thoughtful and funny!
You are also your own person and will stay true to that – you have always had a bit of an “old soul” and a tender heart for others.
I’m pretty sure you’re one of the only ones in the family who makes me laugh and you know that’s a big compliment 😉
Along with friendships, we’ve also entered into the relationships stage and I’m here for it! I know lots of parents discourage their teens from dating but I personally think it’s a good thing as long as you’re dating with a purpose.
Which you are! The relationships you’ve had this year have taught you SO much. Traits you want in a future spouse. Traits you don’t. Things that are important to you and that you highly value (authentic communication, deep conversation, positive feedback, reciprocation). You’ve also learned so much about yourself too!
I have loved the girlfriend stage of parenting. I think it bonds us in new ways and I am thankful that we continue to have such a great relationship. You know you can talk to me about anything and that I’ll always do my best to listen to you, understand your perspective, and give thoughtful advice!
Any girl would be lucky to have you and I know you’ll be an amazing husband when the time comes. Right now you need to just keep focusing on your race towards the Lord and the right girl will come along who is running right beside you on her way to Him too!
As your mom I have worries about all sorts of things. But you…finding a spouse? No concerns whatsoever. I trust God and know you’ll put your trust and faith in Him and it’ll happen!
Right now you say you want to get married young because you love that you have had a relationship with your own great-grandparents and you want that for your children as well. I can see that happening but also never want you to feel pressured or lower your standards just to fit some sort of timeline you’ve given yourself.
Let God lead! In all things, He has His own perfect timing 🙂
You are such a light in the world and in our family. I know it can feel like you’re often overshadowed around the dinner table. With lots of big personalities and lots of interruptions you feel like you’re quick to be ignored. But I promise, you are leading your siblings.
They all look up to you. They adore you. You are the standard the girls have in their minds of what they want their future husbands to be someday. And Spear idolizes you. You set the bar high!
It is such a gift to be your mom and to have these often tricky teenage years be so wonderful and fun. Getting to have that extra time with you that homeschool has allowed us so far is such a gift that I don’t take for granted. I love our lunches together, our car rides, our errands. I love hearing your thoughts and sharing our day to day moments together!
You are also just blossoming into such an incredible young man. I know you will continue to look to God, to pour into His Word and to lead others to Him through your actions, words, and example.
I pray you look back on these days with fondness. That you remember the good moments and take lessons from the not so good ones. I know the time period of the move was rough on us all but it taught us so much and brought us closer together in many ways too.
I’m excited for the future of our family. I’m excited for YOUR future. You have the entire world open for you and I cannot wait to see the paths you take and where God will lead you!
Your bright future includes big dreams and your strong work ethic will make ’em happen. I know over the past year you’ve started to really talk about your career hopes and plans and are currently saying that you’d like to work with Daddy and be an entrepreneur. I can totally see that kind of thing fitting with your genuine interest in businesses and know your hard work will pay off when the time is right.
Always know that no matter where you go, your family loves you and supports you and is here for you. I’m forever and always your #1 fan! I may bore you with talking things to death and driving home all the ways each situation can provide personal growth but you know it’s always out of my love for you and my desire to show up each step of the way with you in whatever life brings! My words of advice always come from a place of love.
I thank God every single day for the blessing of motherhood and for the boy who made me a mama. I am always honored to be “Kye’s Mom!”
Enjoy your special day. Happy 15th Birthday to an amazing person who I simply adore. I love you!
Love, Mom
Past Birthday Letters to Kye from Mom:
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