Wednesday, February 10, 2010

My 21 Year Old Son



Yesterday was Dominic's 21st birthday.  Talk about feeling old.  The mind is flooded by the memories that we have together.  Things were not the easiest for Dominic and I.  I was not a responsible mother and I believe that was due to me having him at 16.  I wish I would have done things differently, but God had a purpose. 

Dominic and I grew up together.  It was very hard, but we lived through all of the rough patches.  We have so many good memories that today we laugh at.  Here are just a few.

Dominic (about 2 years old) and I lived in a little frame house and when it rained we had about 20 black sugar ants came in the kitchen from somewhere (never found where).  Two of my sisters were over (they are 3 and 4 years older than Dominic) and I was fixing lunch.  Dominic was on my heals of the kitchen asking all kinds of questions of what we were having, when will it be done and on and on.  I asked him to go play with his aunts.  He looked around the floor and said "Mommy, they are not out yet."  I laughed so hard, as I realized that he was looking for the black ants not his aunts that were just in the other room.

Another funny, Dominic had very blond almost white hair until he was about 11 years old and his eyebrows were very light also.  He was about 4 years old when my mother and I were talking about how light the eyebrows were that you could not hardly see them.  Dominic turned around quickly with a worried look and said, "Yes you can see my eyebrows, feel!"

There are so many memories that it would take years to tell them all.  I can remember all the sports that he played and played well.   He started off with T-ball, then to baseball.  In baseball he was an outfielder and one of three homerun hitters on his team.  Outfielders are usually not very good, but Dominic was very good.  So good in fact that the other team's coaches warned their players about hitting to center field.   As he became older he went to football in his middle school and high school (freshman and sophmore years).  He played both offense and defense.  Tight End and Middle Linebacker.  His middle school went 9-1.  At the awards ceremony he received the Patriot Award which was the highest achivement.  He also received the best block award.  High School he played JV football and soccer.  He seemed to very well, but he was more interested in Wrestling.  All through his high school years he wrestled.  He won so many awards that I cannot even remember them.  He was very good. 

Dominic has played many sports and seems to be a natural at most.  I am very proud of him and I support him as much as possible.  Today, Dominic is heading for college in the summer.   He did not want to go to college right away, but to go to work.  I told him to start college, but he needed to find his own way.  Finally in January of this year he said what every mother loves to hear "Mom, I think you are right, I need to go to college."   AWWWWW, confirmation that I am doing something right!   :)