19 years

19 years ago this evening I enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner, saw Jurassic Park at the movie theater, went into labor and delivered my son. It was a long night. He was born so quickly only his father, my best friend Wynter and a nurse were in the room at 3:30 am on June 15, 1993. We were home from the hospital 24 hours later.

I remember every birthday of his life...his 1st birthday party with his own little cake he could smash into his fists and stuff in his mouth, the birthday parties at indoor amusement parks, his 4th birthday when he erupted in chickenpox at the party, his 5th birthday trip to Disney World to find Peter Pan and all the parties that included dinosaurs, Harry Potter, Legos and water gun fights with his friends.

This will be the only birthday in his 19 years that we have not been together. As a mother I hope that even though he is in bootcamp being pushed to his limits, that he knows that his family and friends are thinking of him and sending him love.