Happy Birthday!!
Grant Ford Shaffer
11-15-93
9 lbs. 9 oz.
Woodland, CA
Baptized: January 1995
This is Grant at 6 months: AKA - Roly Poly
20 months: When I began to pray at dinnertime, Grant interrupted and prayed, "Pease, Nord, Grant nisten Momma!"
22 months: "No thank you...I no take nap...no thank you."
22 months: "No thank you...no spank me, Momma."
23 months: When asked catechism question #3, his enthusiastic answer to "why did God make you and all things" was, "Because.............I'm really special!"
24 months: Grant was in another room and was very quiet (never a good sign), so I called out and asked him what he was doing. His response: "I just sitting here, Mom...thinking 'bout my attitude!"
24 months: "When I get bigger, I get whiskers, then I can drink coffee."
26 months: I was expecting Eric. As I carried Grant upstairs he warned me, "Mom, you hafta be careful 'bout caring (carrying) me so you don't drop the baby out your tummy."
26 months: As he was pretending to talk on his play phone: "Dr., can you fix my Dad? You may NOT say 'No'!" He hung up and announced, "He said, 'Yes.'"
Here he is at age 3 with his little brother, Eric:
Then in 5th Grade:
This is him today:
14 years old! For years I have carried on about what a difficult child he is...and he HAS been difficult. From about age 4 1/2, Grant was determined to set his own path, and in so doing, has reduced me to tears more times than I can count.
But God is faithful. Grant has grown into a strong young man who is a joy to be around. He loves and respects us and is a lot of fun right now! He's good to little children. When I'm under pressure, he goes out of his way to help me. He opens my car door for me. He starts the car for me on cold mornings. And...I think he even listens to me now. That prayer he prayed as a toddler is being answered! I'm so glad he's my son!
But God is faithful. Grant has grown into a strong young man who is a joy to be around. He loves and respects us and is a lot of fun right now! He's good to little children. When I'm under pressure, he goes out of his way to help me. He opens my car door for me. He starts the car for me on cold mornings. And...I think he even listens to me now. That prayer he prayed as a toddler is being answered! I'm so glad he's my son!
11 comments:
What a great guy! Happy Birthday, Grant!
That picture of him at 3 is the Grant I remember. Tell him "Mrs. Horne Btorne" wishes him a happy birthday.
(P.S. Ask me if you don't remember anything about this reference.)
I have a vague recollection...once I read it, it echoed in my head, but I don't remember how or why it started.
One thing I DO remember vividly is that one Sunday AM, Mark said "hello" to him and Grant wouldn't respond even after being told to. I took Grant to the bathroom and 'rebuked' him...he had to go back to Mark and apologize for being rude! Mark felt so badly that I don't think he ever said "hi" to him again!
Yes . . . well, it appears that "time flies" when we're "having fun" and even those times when we weren't!
We're all counting on God's faithfulness to our kids. It's reassuring to see it granted to Grant through his parents.
When Grant was about 3, I spoke to him in church and he was in a rhyming mode. He was rhyming several words; he looked at me and said, "Hello Mrs. Horne Btorne." I guess no words that would rhyme with horne came to his mind at just that moment. I just remember it being cute and a sign of how smart he was (is).
Cute...
Best wishes to Grant! He has been a good friend to our Jonathan. Grant is one kind young man who is making a mark already in this world.
Bobber - thank you. Have you seen the picture of the two of them from "March to the Arch"? It's on the hallway wall up at PCA. Jonathan is sitting next to Grant and leaning on his leg...it is adorable.
Grant says Jonathan comes up and hugs him at school...and Grant loves it!
Mr. Dad - indeed we rely on the faithfulness of God, because for our part, it feels very much like an experiment at times!
Happy birthday Grant. How interesting as paths cross in life. It started with Erin teaching Grant in first grade and then our coming to PRPC and being reacquainted with him and his wonderful family. What a joy to see you growing up before our eyes.
Joanie
Lori,
This was a precious post. It is so good to hear you say he's a joy.
Never thought you'd hear that, huh, April?!
Eric was thrilled to see Seth at church a couple weeks ago. We all miss you guys.
Happy Holidays!
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