I know you are probably thinking I am going to write about a first young love in high school....well you'd be wrong!
Today, I am celebrating the birth of my first child....David Stratton Huggins the IV! A lineage of four generations. I knew if this child was a boy, this would be his name. The quandary was having three living Davids. I called my father-in-law "Big David", the man I married "David" that seemed to leave only one name"Little David". It just didn't feel right to have sooo many Davids in one family. I love family history and I loved that he would have that name and the wonderful history of his ancestors.
Those of you with children know when you go into your first signs of labor you immediately rush to the hospital and then you might get to return home and wait...wait and wait. When I finally got to stay at the hospital, I awaited all day until I had to have some help for this little one to leave his comfortable space. The shot that I was given made me not very nice from the stories I heard for years...this little one finally arrived after a 30 hour labor. He was tiny yet precious and we named him his middle name "Stratton". I loved that middle name and it suits him well.
Stratton was always the responsible one or at least that was what I thought until one Christmas several years ago when we were very celebratory and my kids began telling tales on each other! I was in hysterics and yet mortified that I had no clue as a mother what they had done to each other! Kids are amazing at how well they cover up each others misbehavior.
Stratton has a brother and sister.... all are 20 months apart. My daughter took the brunt of their tricks and games and I felt really bad about it when all was divulged! You would die laughing if you heard them sharing the stories. How could I be mad as I have a tendency for pranking them myself....I will leave that for another post!
When my daughter arrived at The University of Tennessee, Stratton (as well as most of his fraternity brothers) took her under his wing...guiding and protecting her until she was ready for him let her be on her own! Stratton is talented and creative...he has never met a stranger. He and Kittie (his wife) are always a hit at any costume party. He has a flare for colorful pants; is an outdoorsman at heart as well as a huge football fan for UT and the Titans. If I were to ask any of his friends, or work cohorts to describe him, I would bet most would say he is kind and has a love for the outdoors. How blessed I am to have such a wonderful son.
Our job as parents is never over until we are gone. It is indeed the hardest job we are given. Every child is different. Some children arrive with special needs, others can be simply challenging, sassy, often irresponsible, and irreverent, and a few are perfect! Every parent can find wonderful qualities about each child. Some adults were raised with overbearing or rigid parents, while others had parents who were too lenient so as adults we decide to do it better. In the end, parenting is about balance, structure, teaching core values and instilling the purpose for having God in our life, which leads to having a desire to care for others. Happy Birthday David Stratton Huggins, IV!