Predicting The Future

Todd and I were up in the Bay Area a week or so ago moving in to our new place. It's rare that we are out without Nolan, and even more rare that we were out to dinner without him. Since unpacking boxes would be next to impossible with his grubby, inquisitive little hands deterring us from the task at hand, Mom and Dad graciously kept Nolan at their home while Todd and I "nested" in our new home.

So we were at Chili's, dog tired after a day of moving mayhem. A group of five "tweeners" came in to the restaurant with their parents after their soccer game to grab a bite to eat. All five of these boys were so stinkin' cute and I immediately had an "I MISS NOLAN SO MUCH I COULD CRY!" attack. Todd and I observed them the entire time as they interacted with one another and their parents. We came to the shocking conclusion that, despite popular belief, not all "tweeners" are brats! These kids were respectful and well-mannered. They had fun without being obnoxious. They were not "the norm," I guess you could say.

So we started dreaming...what will Nolan look like, be like, act like when he's ten? Will he be short, tall, skinny, "husky," athletic, artsy, kind-hearted, sharp-tongued? A combination of Todd and I or a personality uniquely his? Truthfully, we were stumped! It's hard to imagine your baby as a "big kid." All I know for sure is that he will be taller than he is now and, God-willing, have more than five teeth. We assume he will be sweet natured and a people person, just as he is now. We assume he will be athletic, as he can't seem to get enough "ball time" in the day right now. We assume he will be the "class clown" type, as he thinks the world is absolutely hilarious at his current age. But who really knows? There's no way to predict the future accurately. All I can do as Nolan's Mommy is hope and pray that my child will be a bright light in a dark world--that he will know Jesus and live his life as Jesus would desire. Nothing else truly matters! Yes, it would stroke my ego to be the parent of a "model child" that everyone adores and wants to be around. It is my right to be a proud parent, after all! But it doesn't really matter to me, as long as Nolan's future is with Jesus.