Celebrating 3 Decades of Chris (Not-Quite-Wordless Wednesday)

Our parenting stories are our own, and although there's a stretch of years when it's difficult to separate them from the stories of those we parent, eventually our children's stories become their own, too (and parent bloggers find themselves floundering for new things to talk about).

This story was supposed to begin on July 4, 1984. From the very beginning, Chris has done things in his own time.

My parenting story began 30 years ago today, and by my math, that means that my son's stories have been his own for quite some time now. However, in keeping with the July NaBloPoMo theme, "Decade," I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos from Chris' most recent decade on his 30th birthday.

October 21, 2006 (with Aunt Teresa): The day he tried to give me away to his stepdad...

...and got himself a new grandma out of the deal

May 2007: Graduate of the University of Tennessee College of Engineering!

...and living near all of this stuff ever since

With 3000 miles and a lot of busy-ness between us, I'm glad he's still coming "home" (sort of--California's my home now, but it never was his) for the holidays.

He's tried to teach me about coffee snobbery. I'm a slow learner.

Happy birthday to the one who calls me "Mom"!

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