......My son

God's ultimate gift to me. No one can change that or take that from me or even trade me for it. Nope, my gift - my son.

I love my son more than words can say. More than I can ever tell him and most definitely more than I could ever show him.

He's been a good kid, a good teenager and an now, an even better "young man". I was all ready for the "payback". You know, the payback you get when you aren't such a great kid, teenager or even "young person" yourself. The one your parents ALWAYS tell you, you'll get yours when you have your own children, you'll see. Wagging that finger in your face. I spent many years "waiting" for the axe to fall, when is he going to get bad?? Almost bringing it to myself by wishful thinking, for the love of God.

But alas, I am peaceful knowing he's a good man, he's a decent person with good manners and a good head on his shoulders. He knows right from wrong and he'll usually tell you about it. He's a good mix of his dad and me but more specifically - me. Just because we've always been together, never apart.

We've lived in some hellacious places I tell you. Places that if child custody knew where we lived, they'd have taken him from me. But, the good news is we've never looked back and we've never gotten worse. In fact, our lives has always improved. He reminded me of that just a couple of weeks ago. That no matter what, we've gotten better. Builds character in a person. When you come from nothing, nothing is all you have to compare it all to. When you come from a lot and wind up with nothing, devastation!! Can't say that about us.

Mind, body and soul.

He has always played the drums. Very few actual lessons, just a passion. Currently, he is especially interested in his band. Altered State. I get to listen to them practice every night. Their music is, well, it's music that you either like or hate. I don't really understand what they are saying and that's probably a good thing.

He keeps telling me when he makes it big some day, he's going to buy me a house and anything else I want.

And, I believe him.