Memories of Elijah (13 Years Old TODAY!!)

I can't believe my baby is 13!! Where have the years gone...just yesterday he was my chubby little guy riding on the back of my bike with his big blue helmet on. We would ride down to the beach everyday pack a picnic lunch, get Juice It Up and feed the birds. It is on these memorable bike trips that my son became deathly afraid of birds. He LOVED his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches...we were sitting having lunch, watching the waves crashing into the sand. The sound was like thunder on a rainy day...drowning out all the other noise around us. My son would squeal with delight as each monstrous blue, green and white wave pounded towards us, forcing us to run to higher ground. The sun was shooting rays of sunlight through the clouds like laser beams burning through the sand. The day was perfect...the moment was perfect, my son at just two years of age was enjoying the beauty of the lively world around him, while I just watched my beautiful child, amazed at the joy he brought to my life.

All of a sudden a cloud of darkness covered the sky, I looked up to see which billowy white cloud of cotton had covered our beams of light, when to my surprise I saw a whole sky full of seagulls circling overhead. My main concern was one of these birds having an accident right on the top of our heads, but my son giggled, pointed with his peanut butter and jelly sandwich and shouted, "boody mommy, see lots u em!" At that precise moment a seagull shot like a bullet from high in the sky, swooped with amazing precision and snatched my sons sandwich right out of his chubby little hand. He screamed, jumped up and started stomping on the sand and flailing his arms in hysterics. His chubby cheeks were fluorescent red. As another seagull flew dangerously close he ran straight into my arms and cried, "NO, NO, NO!" The scene was too much for me to take...I was laughing and trying to comfort my little guy at the same time. We immediately headed for the bike that was chained to a light pole a few feet away from us. Stumbling through the sand with my little man sobbing, while I laughed to the point of tears. What a site we must have been!

My son never got over his fear of birds and our little bike rides were never quite as fun after that fateful day. The memories are etched in my mind as if it were yesterday. The years have flown by but in my eyes I still see my sweet, chubby, innocent little baby jumping and screaming at the birds overhead. What a blessing from God our children are! Cherish every little memory and tuck them safely away in your minds treasure chest...where all of your most precious and valuable moments are saved. The years travel fast but the special moments live on forever.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELIJAH! I LOVE YOU!