It’s your birthday and we’ll cry if we want to!

On September 18, 1988, a future Redneck

Soldier was born.

Happy 21st Birthday,

Trey?

That CAN’T be Trey behind Sophie’s Hello Kitty sunglasses!?

Because his mother-in-law would NEVER post a picture like that for his

21st Birthday!

Good times that night at the movies.  Good times.

Note to self:  *Refer back to picture when tears well up.*

Trey,

I wonder if you thought about this day when you were younger.  I bet you never imagined spending your 21st birthday in basic training, newly married with a baby on the way.  I bet your family never imagined it either.

We are all so proud of you.  It took a big leap of faith to make the decisions you’ve made the past few months.  I cannot comprehend how difficult it must be for you right now, though the letters to Cammie give some indication.  But it’s clear that you’re determined.

You have a tremendous support group and lots of prayers going up on your behalf.  Cammie, Sophie and I saw your Aunt Laurie in Walmart yesterday.  She is so proud of you.  After she shared with us how it’s evident through your letters that change is taking place in you, we came home to find your letters to Cammie.

We both cried.  First after reading the poem you found for Cammie to read to baby Gavin.  Then after reading your letter.  And then cried a river after reading this on the pocket card you sent for Cammie:

I Carry A Cross

I carry a cross to show that I am a Christian. It does not bring good luck

and it is not magical. It is there to show that I am a Christian

and my allegiance is to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

When I get a coin or key from my pocket or bring the cross out

from some other place it is there to remind me He died on Calvary.

It reminds me to tell others about Christ and to serve Him

regardless of what else may be happening in my life.

The card reminds me daily to give

Christ first place in my heart, in my thoughts, and in my deeds.

It reminds me to deny myself, take up my cross, and follow Him.

He is Lord of my life. If you haven’t made Him your Lord

invite Him into your heart and life today!

Taken from Matthew 16:24

God is up to something.  The closeness that you are finding in Christ will make the sacrifices and challenges worth while.  And in spite of the road ahead, it will make your marriage better than you could have imagined.

I wanted this post and letter to you to be a little less sentimental.  I keep trying to come up with a You might be a redneck, if . . . joke.  But for some reason I keep thinking about how you told Cammie how much you missed her.  Then you said, “I miss Sophie.”  And that made me cry more.  Because, well, it’s just so sad.  And also because she has been extremely challenging lately.  So maybe a little boot camp training could help set her straight.

I meant yours, of course.  You know?  That you could set her straight.  We’re not sending her to boot camp.  Yet.

Her 3rd birthday this coming Saturday just one day after your 21st just doesn’t help the missing you factor.  But we’ll send the next best thing—pictures.

And then we’ll blink a couple of times and Cammie’s shower will be here.  We’ll catch our breath and then Gavin will be here.  Bittersweet.

A few sleepless nights later and you’ll be home.  Until then, we’ll be praying for you and hoping that we are crying far more than you are.  We’ll try not to think about the future and your deployment.  And we’ll remind ourselves of His plans for you:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Jeremiah 29:11

And we’ll try to laugh instead of crying when Sophie points to some guy in the Walmart parking lot wearing a cap and says, “LOOK!  There’s Trey!”

Who knows—maybe she will teach Gavin how to say “HOOAH” before your arrival.  She must be super smart since she’s going to be 16 on her three birthday.

We miss you, son.  We’ll think of you a lot today and we’ll cry like babies.  Then we’ll look at the picture above and laugh our heads off.  Then we’ll cry some more, look at your picture and laugh ’til our stomachs ache.  Cry, laugh, repeat.

And then we’ll think of you some more while we’re celebrating Sophie’s 3 or 16th birthday Saturday.  And maybe we’ll talk her into sharing her birthday wish with you before she blows out the candles.

I love you son,

Mama Rena

P.S.

If you think Holy Matrimony means you should wear your jeans with the most holes in them on your wedding day, you just might be a redneck!