Orion turns 11

 

As the boys have gotten older, I have written less and less on this blog. In part, it's simply because I am not making time to do so. It is also difficult to not sound like I am bragging about my boys when I am writing about them.

They are far from perfect and they have very real struggles, but obviously, when I am writing about them, it will be mostly the positive, and sometimes, that just sounds like good old fashion bragging. I am trying to convey their lives through my eyes. The stories that I often want to tell, may embarrass them at this age, although some day they may find  those stories funny. As a result, I seem to only highlight their birthdays or major life events. To that end, the highlight reel for the year-in-the-life, doesn't even begin to paint a picture of all that has transpired.

Milestones. Successes. Failures. Triumphs. Defeats. From Orion's perspective, this list is probably very different from mine. As his father, I see failures as learning opportunities that can eventually be overcome. A triumph, as the result of hard work paying off. A defeat as a starting point for a new goal. 

Ten, had all the earmarks of a hero's story; From ordinary life, to call for action, refusal, mentors, growth, challenges and tests, failures then successes, and then returning as a hero in time to turn eleven. 

Orion turned ten while the world was coming out of the pandemic. Shortly after, he started a new school with new curriculum, new faces, new friends.  He reluctantly road his mountain bike, and his favorite pastime was playing video games. Migraines plagued his first few months of the school year. Allergies came and went with the seasons, in addition, throw in a smattering of mild asthma for good measure. While he thrived in school and friendships, it began to feel like the school nurse calling to come pick up Orion, was going to be a weekly routine. 

We encouraged Orion and pushed him out of his comfort zone with his mountain biking group. It is such an extraordinary group of kids, parents and coaches, that we knew if we were persistent, he would begin to settle in and biking would become normalized to him. We love biking and wanted an activity that we could all do together as a family. This left Orion with no choice but to bike and learn to enjoy it.

 Orion raced his first cross country mountain bike race in October 2021. He finished in tears, but he finished. He slowly began to enjoy riding more and more over the next few months. The kids in the group all encourage each other. They challenge one another, Compliment each other, and tease each other at every opportunity, Our group road right through the winter, in rain, in cold, and mostly at night in the dark (with bike lights of course). 

As winter wound down, something began to awaken in Orion. He started eating differently. Began doing push ups. He really started to enjoy mountain biking. We pushed him to do a couple more races. He finished the next couple with a smile on his face. As he improved, he became more interested in racing. He began to get faster and better and enjoyed the competition. He began to slim down and his endurance increased. 

Then the swim team season started up, with his mom as the head coach of the team that he was automatically going to be a part of. Initially, he was resistant to the idea of swim team, however, once he was in the thick of it, he not only began to enjoy it, but he exceled at it. Orion's momentum continued. He became obsessed with swimming, and pushups, and biking, and arm wresting his mom with a goal to beat her by his eleventh birthday. He came close...very, very close. This kid was on fire this year!! 

Orion also has his first girlfriend. We are so not ready for this, but Madi seems to be a very sweet girl, and they mostly text and talk on the phone from time to time. 

Orion is taking his first steps out of childhood and towards being a man. Its his passion, drive, determination, and near obsession with achieving a goal that I am really proud of him for. As an unexpected bonus, with his drive, all the changes, and forward momentum, came a decrease in his migraines. He still gets them but the frequency has diminished substantially. I hope and pray that it remains this way if not disappearing altogether. 

The ten-year-old boy from one year ago is almost a completely different version of the young man that showed up for his 11th birthday. This was a marvelous year for Orion. His mom and I could not be more proud of him.

Orion, you are simply amazing. You are kind, caring, adventurous, bright, strong, and wise. I am so impressed by you this past year and I am beyond excited to see what this next year has in store for you. Happy eleventh birthday!! I love you~Dad

Apollo turns 14

 Each year is my favorite. That does not mean that the past year did not present its own challenges, or that it was easy. It means that I was fortunate enough to spend another 365 days with you. To watch you grow. To watch you change. To see you stumble and maybe fall, only to pick yourself up and try harder. 

To say that I am proud of you, proud to be your father, somehow does not adequately convey the feelings behind that sentiment. I am thankful that you are my son and thankful with the life that we share together.

The years go by too fast. Fourteen... all I can think about is that in 4 more years, you will be preparing to start your life as an adult. While I welcome this, I realize that I am running out of time where you will be living in our home and part of our daily life. I want it all to slow down. 

My best days, my most cherished memories, are those that we spend together. I love riding bikes with you. I love watching you ride and chasing you up the trails. I can hardly keep up with you anymore. I love swimming and snorkeling with you. Hiking, camping, traveling, laughing, talking. It really doesn't matter what it is as long as I am spending that time with you. 

I love that you can make me laugh everyday. I love it more that you can make your mom laugh. You make Orion laugh harder than anyone can. That interaction is one of my favorite sounds.

On your 14th birthday, you are at least 5' 9 1/2" tall and getting taller by the day. I've watched you take ownership this year of your school work, your goals, and pushing yourself in things like mountain biking. You are changing before my eyes. Sometimes I hardly recognize you and have to do a double take to see who that young man is before me. 

I'm excited to see what next year brings as you start high school and continue to transform into the amazing man that I know you will become.

Happy 14th Birthday Apollo! I love you, always! ~Dad