For This Child I Prayed

For this child I prayed; and the LORD has given me my petition which I asked of him.

1 Samuel 1:27

In 2000, Wayne gave me a new Bible for Christmas. I remember sitting on the couch that day, flipping through the pages and looking for a name for our second baby boy. I read Hannah's song and I knew. He would be a Samuel. He was a gift born eighteen months and one day after his older brother, arriving just after midnight on Jess's birthday. I don't think he was even ten minutes old when I called her! Weighing in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces, he was the biggest of my five babies.

My first words to him were, "You look like my Grandpa Dickson."

He still does.

My sweet Sam will be eleven years old next month. He's away at a friend's house tonight and I (and the dog) can't sleep. We miss our Sambo. It used to be that he was either on my hip or right under my feet. Now, I can't seem to keep him home. He rushes through his chores and school work everyday so that at 3:15, when his buddy ring the doorbell, he's free to go. He's riding bikes, making friends, playing pick up games, passing through the kitchen for a snack and right back out again.

Growing up.

Wasn't it just yesterday, when he pulled the stool up to the counter to watch me mix a batch of cookies? Eager to help, he dumped the flour all over the floor and on his new baby sister. He's been cracking eggs and measuring the sugar since he was literally in diapers. These days, Sam can flip some mean pancakes and whip up brownies in a jiffy. To my regret, he still hasn't mastered washing the dishes! 

Wasn't it just yesterday, when I tucked him in bed, that he told me Mrs. Smith, his kindergarten teacher, had to eat dinner all alone every night because her husband worked shift work? "Can she eat dinner at our house, Mommy?" I answered, "Sure she can, sweetie", and thought that I had the most precious child in the world! The next night at bedtime, Sam said, "Mrs. Smith said she can come on Thursday." And she did!

Wasn't it just yesterday, when he laid at the bottom of our bed and told us all about his day? Yes, it was. Yesterday. My big, busy boy with his sweet tender heart, I count it as a blessing that he shares his heart with me. It is my joy to watch him grow into a man and to be the mama he comes to.

Sambo, I love you to infinity and beyond........