21 years ago

Well, yesterday was my oldest son's 21st birthday. Besides making me wonder if someone is getting old; i had some time last night to reflect on his life and who he has become as a man (I was just too tired to blog last night at 11:00, but I whispered a prayer of thanks for him).

He was born in Lexington, KY in 1988 while we were youth pastor's at Hill N Dale Christian Church. He was born in the middle of the night (and we haven't slept a good night since) with a waiting room full of youth group kids. We named him after me, Michael Robert Baker II (we went with the second because we didn't want people calling him junior) and he was (and still is) my pride and joy. I was only 23 so i had no clue what I was doing or how to raise a kid, but Sara and I loved him and read the Bible to him and took him to church (he owned every boy thing from our local von maur like store because of the generous people in our church).

well, he's grown a little since then (not 6-4 like my youngest, but 6-1 which is tall for me) and yet we still call him Mikey. He is (depending on the day and viewpoint) stubborn or independent or a great leader. He is incredibly artistic (gift of God that he has always had - I have a painting of his from the third grade that is incredible). He is detailed. He used to line up his cheerios perfectly in a row on his high chair (anal some would say). He doesn't care what people think of him (this can be good and bad). He is willing to try things that others won't. He is smart. He is very articulate and expressive (one of the things he is like me in - along with lover of Frank Sinatra music, hats, frequent changer of hair styles, and bringing flowers to the girl in his life).

I'm proud of him. After the teen-age rebellion years (long story) he has grown into the kind of guy I enjoy hanging out with. What more could a father ask for? Happy 21 Mikey!