Happy Birthday My Steffen!
Dear Steffen,
Saturday was your 18th birthday! I'm slow with writing your birthday blog post, because you just returned home late last night. You spent your special day with good friends down at Lake Powell. Even though I really, really missed you...I guess it seems fitting that you would spend this birthday, marking your officially being an adult, away from home....as your time living under the roof with our family is growing short.
Steffen, as per our tradition, and because you are 18...here are 18 things that I absolutely love about you:
1. I love that you are an artist at heart. I relate to that so completely...the desire to create beauty using different outlets....music, pencil and paper, etc. I understand this desire and the joy that comes from expressing it. I love to see you find joy in expressing yourself in artistic ways as well.
2. I love that you have a smile that lights up a room! I tell you ALL the time...but your smile has super powers. I am almost positive that the girl that you marry will first fall in love with your smile:)
3. I love that you play with Chloe so much. She adores you. While you were at Lake Powell she kept asking where "her" Steffen was and when he would get home.
4. I love that you and Emma have become such good friends. There was a time when you two didn't like each other very much...I love that you have realized that not only is she your sister...she is one of your best friends.
5. I love that you love my Chicken Dumplings. In honor of that...I will bake them for dinner tonight! :)
6. I love that you are wanting to serve a mission and are striving to prepare yourself to spend two years teaching people about Jesus Christ. I think it is a remarkable thing to do and can't wait to hear about all of your adventures (in perhaps a far off land) when you go.
7. I love that you love hanging out with me. I think my favorite thing is when you come in late at night when you are returning home and want to sit and tell me about stuff. I love that.
8. I love that you like to laugh...and try and make me laugh regularly with much success.
9. I love that you graduated from high school this year! It was a TON of work and commitment and you did it!
10. I love that you aren't afraid to be unique and different in expressing yourself...whether your views, how you dress, fix your hair, etc. I think it is pretty cool.
11. I love that you are sentimental...I think sentimental boys can make great husbands:) Some girl is going to be really lucky someday if you will use that sentimental heart to show her she is special to you.
12. I love that you aren't afraid to dream and dream big....don't ever lose that ability!
13. I love that you are striving to see life in terms of principles and not merely in terms of formulas! I promise you that you will find the greatest success and joy if you will continue to do this. As I always say...the best cooks don't just follow a recipe...they understand the principles behind the ingredients. Then, they can create about anything and have it be successful....and when things don't necessarily go as planned, they know the principles to implement to save the recipe. Life is like that.
14. I love that you are not too big or too mature for dance parties in the kitchen with me. And I will always, always laugh when you do that dance that makes you look like a scarecrow!
15. I love that not only do you create beautiful things....but you share them. It was such a joy to go to Ikea with you to pick out frames to put up an art gallery in your room of your work. Someday...maybe we will be choosing frames for your work for a real gallery....in fact...I think I'll just plan on that.
16. I love that you understand that it is "nice to be important...but more important to be nice." I hope you will always remember that.
17. I love that you love me. I still think about the day Dr. Bell put you in my arms for the very first time. It feels like yesterday. I remember wondering how it was possible that I could feel so much love for you already. I loved and adored you from the moment I saw you!
18. I love that I get to be your mom. God could have sent you to a gazillion different moms out there and He chose me. If there were lines in heaven we stood in to get stuff in this life...I didn't get into the line in heaven that allowed me to eat whatever I want and not get fat (would have been so nice), I didn't get into the line that gave me super thick hair (rats), I didn't get into the line that made me 5'10" (seriously would have liked that)...but I DID get into the line that let me be your mom...and that makes me one of the luckiest people ever and is something I will be eternally grateful for.
I love you dearly, Steffen. We just have until Spring to make memories before you leave on your mission....let's make LOTS of them!
Lots and lots of love,
Mama
