William is 10 today

Last night we had a little birthday party for William who is ten today. Time sure does fly by. I remember the first time I saw him...all bundled up with a little blue hospital hat on. His eyes were closed and he had been crying. I guess I would too if I was removed from a warm cozy dark place into a harsh cold world with too many lights shining on me.

I put my hand to my mouth and said, "Oh my. He's beautiful" and tears came. But they were ones of joy. I felt him fly into my heart. It was as if I had loved him forever.

Then his father snapped a picture of him and he wasn't too happy about the light flashing on his face. William opened one eye and frowned at me before he started crying. I pointed at his dad and said, "It wasn't me. It was your Dad who did it. Don't get mad at ME!"

And so a new person entered my life and has brought such joy and wonder to my world. For the last ten years, I've watched him face challenges and experience things for the first time that I take for granted. His humor and wit has been as clever at times as my own and how I enjoy that side of him. I even admire his stubbornness and controlling nature at times. With those, he'll go far in whatever career he decides to pursue.

My wish for William is to experience life to the fullest. To take each moment and somehow make it his, even the bad ones... that his joys be felt deeply and his sorrows mourned but not leave deep scars. I wish for him the ability to truly love and to take whatever life throws at him and make something wonderful happen.