Ten Years Old! My son is officially in the double digits!
It’s tempting to ask myself, “Where did the time go?” But I know exactly where it went. For the past ten years, I’ve had the honor of watching my son, Kenton, grow into the person I see today. Even before that—when the doctor confirmed my first pregnancy was with a son—I was celebrating, loving, and cherishing his life. I wondered what he would look like, what his voice would sound like, and who he would eventually become.
Sometimes it’s hard for me to separate his journey from my own, because I see it all through the lens of motherhood. His growth feels tied to mine. He will always be my first child, and just as much as he has changed, I have changed. I am forever different because of him. Yet as he grows older, I’ve realized the importance of honoring his personhood—his voice, his story, his perspective. That means listening more, asking more questions, and creating space for him to be fully heard.
If I’m honest, I don’t always do this well. Too often I find myself distracted, only half listening while my mind races with other thoughts. I mumble responses like, “Okay, honey.” “Oh, wow.” “That’s interesting.” It’s a way of pacifying him so I can move on with my own agenda. But I don’t want to breeze past my life—or his. I want to slow down. I want to see, hear, and truly experience my son. Because life isn’t just about me. It’s about the people I share it with.
Although Kenton is still young and dependent on me, one day he won’t be. One day he’ll be busy with his own swirling thoughts, and I’ll be the one craving his attention. If I can model for him now what it looks like to live intentionally, to listen deeply, and to quiet one’s inner chatter, I’ll count that as one of my greatest successes.
Kenton, today I celebrate you—and every person you’ve touched along the way. You leave a mark on everyone you meet. You are outgoing, kind, and endlessly curious. You want to know more about everything and everyone. You’re a ball of energy. When you listen to others, you show them that they matter. And in doing so, you show yourself value too. You don’t have to agree with every opinion, but by opening your mind you expand your world and grow into a better version of yourself.
I can’t wait to see your confidence flourish this year. I can’t wait to keep learning from you. Kenton, I love you more than words can say. Happy 10th birthday!
For Kenton’s birthday celebration, we visited Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in Sandusky — our family’s first time there, and we had the best time!
Everyone we met was so kind and helpful. Our room was spacious, complete with a full kitchen and plenty of room for us to relax and enjoy.
We loved splashing in the water park- swimming up to the pool bar, zooming down the slides, and enjoying a delicious slice of pizza! Kenton had a blast racking up points in the arcade and cashing them in for awesome prizes. Ruby’s favorite part was the Madagascar Mini Golf- the blacklight experience made it extra fun! And we all got a thrill from The 7-D Motion Theater- exciting and engaging for everyone! Steven and Kenton took part in the Lasor Tag and agreed it was a blast!
It was truly the best birthday weekend for my son. Seeing his excitement filled me with so much happiness!
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