A Mother's Gotta Do What A Mother's Gotta Do!

Jim and Christopher

So much alike in so many ways!

I have a lot of favorite guys but these two are on the tippy top of the pile.  They are so much alike and I love them with all of my heart.  This picture was taken this morning at the Oakland Airport.  Our son Chris was here attending a lot of meetings and giving a lecture at Stanford University on Wednesday.  He was able to stay with us last night for a very swift sleepover and dinner.  Jim's mom came over and we had a nice dinner by candlelight.  His request was clam sauce and linguini.  That is the Italian influence of his youth.  Melissa is not a fish lover so I usually try to make it for him when he is home.  It was such a nice evening, we just sat in the dining room and chatted and enjoyed his company so much.

You are probably thinking here...hmmm, this is sounding like a Facebook post.  Who cares what they ate for dinner, right?  Well, this isn't really about that at all.  It is about looking at our son and actually seeing the man he really is!

 This always takes me back a little because he left for college the same night he graduated from high school and he will be 39 in March.  Since he lives a few states away we don't get to see him very often and when we do, I am always surprised by his maturity and that he is all grown up.  It's mom thing I think. You know how it is, when someone moves away, you just still remember them as they were.  He is a man now, approaching middle age in fact, and certainly not that cute teenage guy that use to live with us anymore.

Chris is a very good man who has made extraordinary choices that have brought him great success and happiness.  His number one good choice is following the dictates of his own heart and choosing to love the Lord and serve him through serving others.  He tries very hard to follow His example. That is the foundation for all his other good choices.   Marrying a beautiful woman who also shares in our faith has been a very sturdy foundation for their lives together and in raising their family of three sons and one daughter.  God and family come first.

The last time Chris visited with his whole family!

 He made great choices in his education and coupled with his good character,  has consequently had a lot of success in his career.  Not just doing well, but loving what he chose is something that makes us as his parents very happy.  If you don't enjoy what you do...no amount of success can compensate for hating to get up in the morning, right?  He is a very hard worker and diligent in all he does.  He is also a very humble guy that would not tell you any of this.

So this post is really a mother, called to duty and doing a big Shout Out for their sweet son.  These were some of my thoughts as I watched him last night at dinner.  He is so poised, confident, and handsome and good and doing it right.  And I felt humbled, so blessed and grateful and happy and in awe of who he has become.  We were thrilled to have him home with us if only for a few short hours.

So in a way this was like a "brag on your kid" kind of Facebook post...but,  hey I limit myself to doing that about once every three years...this is your lucky day!

Here is a TED talk he gave two years ago to give you an idea of where his focus is in his career. Jim and I feel we are privileged to be his parents!  Having him here was the beginning of a very good 2014!