My children are as different as can be: God wants parents to celebrate and rejoice in their differences and not to suppress them. Even if that were NOT my way of thinking....these three would have whipped me into their individuality pronto!
This kid was born on June 26, 1991. It was Wednesday and he arrived at 9:28 pm. It was rough! I mean like 30+ hours of labor rough, but then almost every day since then has been that way, good and bad. He is the kid who, even today, texts and says "can I call?" I want to throw my phone down and start stomping on it no matter the cost of a new one. But he is growing up and finding his way and it is beautiful to see with your firstborn. It gives you hope you did not screw them up beyond repair.
His name is Cade Joshua Gregg. He is a ginger, a creator, and inspiration, an athlete, a fighter, a musician, and a unique human being. He is ALL RIGHT BRAIN. He is artistic & imaginative, which means he cannot find his keys, keep up his appearance, has no sense of fashion or direction, and ruins every nice thing I get him. It is infuriating! And with all those wonderful characteristics he has to be the center of attention as well. He never left the house without looking perfect when I was in control, that red hair was like a beacon to women everywhere we went. And as they got closer, BAM! The blue eyes hit them and they would not leave him alone. For an attention seeker that was heaven to Cade! He loved it because it was center stage.
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| Yes he has on shorts and hiking boots. |
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| There is not an instrument he cannot play. Confidence is King with this one! |
Things have not changed as you can see. But with the difficulties of raising a child like this ginger of mine, also came fun. A LOT OF FUN!
- He would get his siblings together to put on shows for me and they were wonderfully creative and fun! But it made him an "actor" later in his life. He could lie with the best.
- He always had a band and that is why we built a basement. First it was Myriad Intentions, then The Beat Rawkers, The Southside Kings, Through November, and currently I think it is "Danger, Will Robinson". But who knows? I am certain I have missed a few. Cade is a brilliant artist and I am thankful never "made it". It would have killed him. Everything he does, he does with an almost addictive attitude. 100%+
- There have been band practices galore in the basement, walls scratched by instruments being brought up and down and some of the weirdest people I have ever seen coming through our doors. Nice but weird, and I adored them all.
- We have had holes in our walls, tears in our carpet, bean bags blown to smithereens from stage dives, (yes we have a stage in our basement) I have found boogers on walls, pee in bottles, and had many questions where I have asked, "what is this?" HE INFURIATES ME 99% of the time. But oh how wonderful is the other 1%!
- I know I am not alone, boys are a challenge. But when you decide to go into the pit and clean your son's room yourself, because you cannot take waiting for him, and find a live mouse at the end of your vacuum hose you have reached a turning point.
- But fighting a right brain is a losing battle, it just is. I am OCD, clean to the max, everything has a place and every place has a reason. I don't look for things because I know where they are. I plan meals a month in advance. I know not just what my day looks like but my month. It is a curse! I would have been a better mom to Cade had I a little use of my right brain. To say we butted heads is an understatement.
- Time will change boys a little. I see it every day. Cade graduated early and was already a Sophomore in college by the time his classmates graduated. He pushed every limit. He is why we have a home alarm, dogs to bark, family map on our iPhones, and why God gave me a double dose of mother's intuition. I wore it out with him and his shenanigans. There were times I thought I would die before he was 18.
- He has been kicked out of college, wrecked cars and trucks, made horrible choices in his life and with me kicking and screaming and praying all along the way. He has lived in his car, slept on friends couches and so on...
- But every bad decision had a consequence from us. He lived most of his life at age 15 without a door to his room because he could not be trusted in private. He has been kicked out and sometimes kicked. We have cried many a tear over this kid, wore out knees praying, we have been to emergency rooms and counselors; and felt like we had utterly failed on so many levels for him that there was no hope. ZERO.
- However, hope arrived little by little. Time and tough love changed a little of the rough edges. I see more of that kid who made me laugh and picked up his toys after making the most giant mess you have ever seen. I see more of the young man that God created him to be when I hear about his grades at his university. He was always brilliant and knew what he wanted; he just discovered it all too early and got lost.
- He pays for his own school now, pays his own bills, works hard, makes great grades and is way kinder than I have known in years. He is becoming the man I prayed for.
- Is there a ways to go? SURE. Does he have it all together? NOPE. But who of us does? NOT ME. I am so thankful in all of the rough times, he has kept his creativity, his genius, his musical mind, and thoughtful heart. He still makes me crazy, but it keeps me on my toes. And I love him more than he can ever know. He is one of a kind this kid...do yourself a favor and watch some of the YouTube videos below of how great he is/or thinks he is! ha
https://youtu.be/cERF40krcfQhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2FT9U94MYYAnd my favorite....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMyGevkAm0sIsaiah 40:1
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
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