Mikey

Twenty five years ago, I was a 23 year old youth pastor in Lexington, Ky when I held my firstborn son, Michael Robert Baker II. I think there are pictures with me in sweats and a mullet with a tootsie pop in my mouth and a grin on my face. I was thrilled to have a son and I still am. A lot happens in 25 years and unfortunately, I have to say the old man line, it goes by so fast. Since that time, another son was born, my father has died, ministry has taken us to three different states, I'm no longer a youth pastor, and thankfully I know longer wear a mullet. You have so many ideas about what your child is going to become when they are first born, and you realize along the way that you don't really control that. God does something special in each life and each person has millions of choices to make along the way. This means that at some point you have to let go. I never thought that my first born would have grown up to be one of the most talented tattoo artists imaginable, but he did. I didn't think he would get his high school diploma via GED, but he did. I didn't think he would fall in love with Normal, IL, but he did. I didn't think that I would have the privilege of him living in the town I ministered in for so long, but we did. I didn't know that he would find a woman to marry him that would be just right for what he needed, but in Abby he did. I didn't think that he and his brother would be so different and so highly admire each other, but they do. I wasn't sure that my church would love my tattoo artist son as much as my preacher son, but they do. I didn't think that after all these years, the tough journey would all be worth it, but it is. Twenty five years later, I must say that at the time I didn't think that God had a better plan for Mikey that I did, but He did. Happy Birthday son, I wouldn't change a thing.