two settings

our third son cried for the first year of his life. or so it seemed. when we look at his baby photos, he is either smiling ear to ear or crying. and to this day, harry has two settings: on and off. there is no gray with him. and he does not mince words. 

yesterday i was chatting with a stranger. her haircut prompted me to comment, "you are the cutest thing i've ever seen." this older woman confessed, "i needed to hear that. i have felt so down lately. i can't seem to lose weight." my son who is 10 today flatly offered, "why don't you get a treadmill?" 

this is the same child who is convinced my grandchildren will someday call me "hot shot". he is the same child who stood up in front of our church congregation when he was only 4, wearing his koala costume and announced it was his birthday. he is the boy who bought himself a drum kit after he sold a software package he won at the opening of the local mac store. you might say he grabs life by the horns-and wrestles it to the ground.

but this loud{very}boy is oh so loving. he is fierce and devoted{when he isn't beating somebody up-remember i said "two settings"}. i will never forget when his baby brother was born. he leaned over george's carseat and observed, "we picked a good seed."

i love all of my children equally, but if there is one who i believe will see me through til the end, it is this boy. he loves deeply. he cares sincerely. and he is so much like me. frustrated the Mister often chides, "he is YOUR son." yes, he is. 

he has two settings. he flies off the handle. and then weeps with joy. he raises his hands in church in adoration. and he raises his hands to his brother-in the lobby as they wait for sunday school. 

today our third son, harrison markham utley turns 10. our life went from black and white to color when he came that fateful spring day. and it has never stopped being colorful. 

xo,

gf