Oh Crap! – Musings of an Unperfect Mommy

Chris Leaves for College Today

July 28, 2012

And I need to post pictures of course!! It is way too hard to find just a few really great pictures that span 21 years though, so I thought let’s just start at the beginning and move forward every 5 years. Believe me, that was much easier! So, let’s get on with the show shall we?

Here I am at Easter 1991 – the one sporting the big bump – and I’m still 3 weeks away from delivering. A friend of mine took this picture and I’m so glad she did because I think it’s the only one I have being pregnant with Chris.

Christopher Patrick made his appearance on April 23, 1991. It was an incredibly easy delivery with no drugs, no iv’s, nothing to get in the way. Labor lasted a total of 3 hours and 20 minutes from breaking of water ’till Chris popped out. Not only was the delivery easy, but he was also a very easy going baby and a champion nurser. It was the best birth experience I ever had.

Wait a minute, I know I said let’s go in 5 year intervals, but I really need to show off Chris’ cuteness and blonde curls. He was two years old in this picture – isn’t he adorable? And he loved trains – especially Thomas (back when Thomas was GOOD).

Okay, let’s continue. It is now 1996, and (I think) this is his 6th birthday picture. He is growing up so fast! And another baby was added that year – Stephen – and Chris did not take it well. Let’s face it, he was the baby for a long time and then he got kicked out of that place. Overall I think he was pretty happy with a new baby around though.

This is also from 1996 and I have to tell that story. I decided to have the three older boys participate in our church’s annual Christmas Eve Play and this is how they looked. Chris was the cutest angel, but he also was a fallen angel of sorts – everyone called him “the littlest angel” after the play. He had a hard time doing what he was supposed to be doing along with the other angels and it was so adorable. So, Matt was St. Joseph, Jeff was a shepherd, Chris was an angel, and Steve got the starring role as Baby Jesus. We had also been homeschooling for 2 years and I think this was Chris’ first official school year.

Now, it’s 2001, and two more babies have been added – Joe in 1999 and Maggie in 2000. The picture I picked for this year was from Christmas. That fall had been difficult as the events of 9/11 unfolded and people across the country felt the fear and the loss. Mike and I had decided earlier that year to give Matt, Jeff, and Chris Game Boy Colors for Christmas. We bought them with our tax refund along with one game each and a case to put everything in. Then, I had to keep it secret for 8 months and that was really difficult. It was worth it though and that Christmas went down in HackFam history as one of the best ever. Here is a photo I snapped of Chris opening his gift and the look of sheer joy on his face brought me to tears. The laughter and joy of that Christmas has remained with me to this day.

Well, time is marching on and now it is 2006 and Chris is 15 years old. We added two more babies in 2003 – Becky and Katie – and also moved to a new house in 2005. We also now have a digital camera so these photos didn’t have to be scanned. Technology moved forward too :-).

In this first photo, the kids are making gingerbread men. And just like the year before, the kids decided to make mutilated gingerbread men with missing limbs and such. Did I get mad? Absolutely NOT – kids will be kids and the memories will be with them forever. That’s the real reason I let them do things like that – it’s the bonding. Chris has always enjoyed cooking though and I know after he moves out that he will not have to rely on fast food or microwave dinners because of a lack of skills.

And here’s a photo of a reflective Chris and this is probably one of the last photos of him overweight. After going to college, Matt made a bet with Chris – if Chris could lose 50lbs by the end of the year, Matt would give him $50. Well, the allure of the money and the desire to be healthier combined to give Chris the incentive he needed to lose that weight. And he did – in fact he ended up losing around 60 pounds and now you’d never know it was the same person!

Now, here’s Chris five years later in 2012 and now 21 years old.

As you can see he is much thinner (and harrier on the chin). He started “buffing up” several months ago and now sports alot of tight muscles. I’m so proud of him for losing the weight on his own initiative and keeping it up. He’s always been like that – if he is doing something he doesn’t like he’ll do it anyway to get it done.

Okay, one more just for good measure. This was taken in April 2001 at Joe’s second birthday party. Chris is the one in the middle and has a look on his face that says, “I ate too many cupcakes”. In reality he was probably just making a silly face. :-)

Chris I am really going to miss you, but I am SO very proud of you!! You have come a long way in 21 years and grown up into a fine young man. I wish you all the best in your new life at college but I also have a feeling that you will do just fine. Even in Calculus because you always were good at math. :-) We’ve been through a lot of fun times, and plenty of bad ones too, but I think it’s pulled us all closer and I hope that never changes. Thank you for your wonderful sense of humor that always sends the house into fits of laughter. Thanks for all your help through the years. I am thankful I have had the privilege of being your mother and to share these first 21 years with you. Now, go out there and seize the day!! Love you son – Mom.

4 comments
Comments

On July 29, 2012 at 1:57 PM, linkman2004 said:

Daaaaaw, I love you too, Mom.
Also, that first picture is super 90s.

On July 29, 2012 at 5:08 PM, java_queen said:

*sniff* Don't make me cry (again)! Yeah, I've had lots of fashion changes over the years. At least my hair wasn't that sucky cut I had that one year.

On July 30, 2012 at 1:04 AM, That one guy said:

I still feel really awesome every time someone mentions that play....I was Jesus...yeaaaaaah.

On July 30, 2012 at 4:03 PM, Val said:

Good luck, Chris!

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