Thirty-three years ago, my favorite middle son, Brenden was born. Jake and Brenden are only 19 months apart and Brenden and Zach are 22 months apart. Brenden is a true middle Child by all definitions and as such, he has always marched to his own drummer.  Fortunately, it’s always been a nice tune 🙂 

Most mothers of boys will tell you that they have to spend their days civilizing the  little imps. However, unlike his brothers, Brenden didn’t like to get filthy dirty, didn’t like to play with anything resembling a ball, and was cautious. My favorite “growing up Brenden” story is when he was about nine years old and we were at a fair. He was deciding whether or not to go on a ride and turned to me and said “I like the fact that this ride has seatbelts, but at the same time, I’m concerned that it needs them“

I’ve always said that being a successful parent involves recognizing that our children are who they are from the moment they come out of the womb. It’s like having a certain specific clay to work with ….our job as parents is to recognize what the clay is capable of, and mold and shape it accordingly. In Brenden’s case, I spent a lot of time pushing him while treasuring his sweetness

Growing up, Brenden was the one who would recognize when I got my haircut or had new earrings on. 

If you remember from my previous journaling, I was most worried about telling Brenden about my diagnosis. I needn’t have worried. He is supportive and able to talk about emotions, make jokes, and I know he will help me face whatever is coming.  

Tonight, Hans and I will pick up my sister and her husband and meet Claire, Brenden, and baby Abigail at Brenden’s favorite restaurant, a steakhouse called Connors. Happy birthday Brenden 🥳