Twelve

Braylen turned 12 years old today. It blows me away if I think about it too much. How did 12 years go by that fast? One day at a time--but those days sure added up quickly.

My goal was to make today fun and special for Braylen. I love the fact that school hasn't started yet, and that means I could enjoy him all day. He really is a pretty cool kid. I mean, young man. :)

12 things we did on Braylen's 12th birthday:

1. Woke up early to hear his birthday announcement on the radio. Thanks to Aunt Pam and family for a really nice birthday tribute!
2. Made french toast for breakfast. Braylen's favorite. (and mine!)
3. Took Braylen shopping for new school shoes...he LOVES his new shoes. He's had his eye on Adidas Climacool shoes since last spring. Now he has his own pair! While we were at the mall, I found new shoes for Kaleb and Aaron too. I've never seen a group of boys so excited to buy new shoes!
4. Came home for lunch in time for Braylen to see his dad. Truly a highlight of his day. He also opened his gifts from my parents. The rest of the presents will come later.
5. Took Braylen, his friend Matthew, Kaleb, and Aaron to Dairy Queen for afternoon treats. We sat in a booth and had a nice little talk about the upcoming NFL and college seasons. I know so much more about football now than I did before our outing!
6. Stopped at a friend's house for paper route instructions. Braylen and Kaleb will share a paper route for a couple of days while these friends of ours are on vacation. They're excited. :)
7. Enjoyed a short visit with Braylen's cousins and aunt. They made him some really sweet cards.
8. Braylen had plenty of time on the wii with Matthew and his brothers.
9. When Derek came home, Braylen opened the rest of his presents! Concert tickets, wall decals, a headlamp, and more.
10. Braylen picked the menu for supper: sausage and egg casserole, cinnamon rolls, grapes, and orange juice. YUM!
11. Since the weather is so nice this week, we took a family bike ride with the dog. We all thought the sunset was especially pretty for Braylen's birthday.
12. Sang "Happy Birthday" to our 12 year old son, watched him try to blow out 12 candles on a plate of cupcakes...and thought about all the blessings we have wrapped up in Braylen.

Yes, today was fun and special--for Braylen and for the rest of us. Mission accomplished! I feel very, very blessed. Happy Birthday, Buddy. I know you're 12 and all, but you're still my sunshine. :)