A Decade with Shade

“Why does the TAKS test have to be on March 3rd?” – Shade Canon Mashburn, my son

It may seem a random question to you, and I didn’t have an educated answer. But I know it matters to him because March 3rd is Shade’s birthday. And today, on his 10th, he’s not thrilled that he has to spend about 8 hours of it on a test. All I could say was “I guess it has to be on someone’s birthday, buddy.”

He asked this past Monday, and you have to know that Shade takes the TAKS test really seriously (he didn’t get that from me, I can assure you). So I guess as a way of uplifting his spirits, he asked if we could sit down and make some decorations for him to put around the house for his birthday. So I took some pipe cleaners and a piece of paper, Callie took some popsicle sticks, paper and glue, and Shade himself took an old wrapping paper tube, some pipe cleaners and some tape and we created and then spread these around the dining room. 

Well buddy, I hope this self-medication did it’s magic and lifted your spirits this morning as you passed them and went out the door for school!

Last night as I prayed with Shade before bed, I sort of got lost in reflection about the last 10 years of my life. Now, I’ve got a pretty decent imagination most of the time, but I could not imagine the last 10 years without this fun, passionate, sincere, energetic, ready-to-go, thoughtful, power-packed fireball of a kid in my life! And knowing him, who would want to?

I prayed and thanked God for the whole decade that I have had with this guy. He has been a source of joy, challenge, adventure, sacrifice, selflessness, introspection, transformation, and love in my life. I will never be the same. Because of him, I don’t know how to explain it really, but I am much more real.

 

 

 

Here’s an iPhone photo of he and I in Lubbock trying to look tough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s how we look when we are being real.

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday, Shade. Here’s to the life-long journey of becoming much more real.

I love you.

My Family