Vivi turns 1

The youngest Clayton grandchild turned 1 on 5-22-15 and today was her birthday party.  It was great seeing all 5 grand kids together.  We don't get to do this often enough! One set lives in Jackson and the other three in Hattiesburg.  Both families have busy lives with many kids activities so it's hard to see them as much as we'd like to.   Here's a cute picture I grabbed of all 5 of them before we did cake.

Anna Cooper, Haze, Grayson, Caroline, & Vivi! All Precious!

Vivi loved her cake!  And I know her mom loved bathing her afterwards. Hee Hee  Hard to believe the caboose is one! 

As it is when people gather, they always seem to ask you about your kids.  How are they doing?, Are they finished with college yet?, What are they doing?, Still living at home?  and the list goes on and on.  Most days I love talking about my kids but this past week I had been struggling with my son.  See he decided he doesn't want to go back to senior college.  Says college isn't for him.  I get it because I know my son.  After he graduated from junior college, he really didn't want to go to senior college, but I made him give me one year.  He did and now he says he's done.  When I tell people usually they say things like.. Make him go, explain to him how he's never going anywhere, tell him how hard it will be to get a job, and the list goes on and on and on...... and then I feel like a terrible parent.  So I try to avoid the subject lately.   

But I realized this weekend that I've excepted his decision.  College isn't for everyone.  We need people in this world that can do manual labor.  We need house builders, plumbers, electricians, and many other jobs that I could list.  Not every one can be a doctor, lawyer, or work in an office.  I believe we are all called to do certain things in life.  Brett may not have it figured out exactly what he wants to do in life, but from what I've read it takes men (boys) a little longer to mature than women usually.  

I was talking at the birthday party to my husbands first wife.  Yes, we are friends.  They pick on us and call us BFFs. LOL  She told me she had read a very interesting study that said men don't fully mature until the age 28! Boy that does makes sense when you think about it.  I'm not hating on men here so don't get ill, but look around and notice how long it takes for some guys to mature and be ready for a family of their own, etc.  

I do know if I could go back in time that I would have really pushed Brett harder on his studies.  I would have gotten tutors to help him in his reading.  I knew he wasn't a good reader and hating reading but I let it slide.  I probably let him slide much more than normal parents and maybe it's due to the fact that when he was 11 he had an accident that could have taken his life.  After watching my son in the hospital for weeks, I probably developed a real soft spot for him cause I never pushed hard on grades with him.  As long as he was passing, it was ok.  And let me say that some think they can just play sports all their life.  Well, you can't.  Developing good study habits and getting a good education is much more important than sports growing up.  

So as I sit here tonight, my prayer is the same as always.  Please let me children find their place in this big old crazy world.  I use to stress over Erin finishing college.  She changed her mind several times before she finally stuck with one major and it took her 5 years instead of the normal 4, but she finished.  She just completed her first year of teaching and it seems like ages since I was stressing over her.  So I know this stress with Brett will soon seem like a distance memory also.  Mainly because I'm trusting God to lead him.  

Dear Lord,

May you gentle guide Brett to find his calling.  Lead him on the right path.  May he also turn to you for guidance.  Thank you for blessing me with two beautiful children.  Lead me as a mother to be a guild for them and also a safe harbor that they can always come to for rest and assurance.  I praise you for all you've done in my life.  Thank you also for the extended family you've blessed me with.  Guide all five of the grand kids to be the best they can be and bless their parents. Give them the knowledge they need to be the best parents they can be.  I ask all this in Christ name.  Amen