All Grown Up

On Metamorphosis Monday, most participants like to show how they’ve redone a room in their home or refinished a piece of furniture. However, since today is my middle son Brent’s 29th birthday, I thought I’d give you the story of his life in pictures, from birth to fatherhood and a new job. When you’ve finished here, be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for more Met Monday.

When Brent decided that it was time for me to go into labor about 10:30 p.m. on May 31, 1980, LBeau and I were playing Bridge with my mother and daddy. My water broke, contractions started immediately, and LBeau and I headed to the hospital, leaving our oldest son Hunter with his Mema and Papa.

It was the weekend, and of course my doctor wasn’t on call. The doctor who was on call, however, was a guy that I had graduated from high school with. But at 12:30 a.m. on June 1, 1980, Brent wasn’t about to wait around, and it was time to forget modesty.

Here he is all dressed up to go home from the hospital and mad about something.

Brent always had the straightest, finest and blondest hair of our three boys. For his seventh birthday, it looks like I made his favorite cake, yellow cake with chocolate icing.

About the time Brent graduated from Briarwood Christian High School in 1998, his hair turned curly.

The whole family was there for his graduation with honors from the University of Arkansas in 2002, including Papa, Mema Marion and Mema Martha.

Brent met Katie while they were students at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. They were married December 30, 2005, on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Brent graduated from RTS in May, 2006.

On May 17, 2009, Brent received his Master of Liberal Arts Degree from St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. Here he is with Katie and Walker. Baby Lauren was born the next day. Although Brent didn’t hesitate to interrupt a Bridge game, Lauren was not about to mess up her daddy’s graduation.

I will be heading back to Annapolis later this month to help the four of them move to Savannah, where Brent will be teaching at Veritas Academy. Happy Birthday, Brent!!