Happy Birthday, Little Man

Today is my son, Ryan Paul Barrick's, 20th birthday!  It's so hard to believe that he's a young man and not my little boy anymore.

Senior 2012

I am so proud of him...for all of his accomplishments and for his constant desire to be independent and self sufficient.  From the time he was born he has struggle to do things HIS way!  He learned to walk by the time he was 9 months old!  At 3 years, he still struggled to speak so he started school...within 6 months he had mastered speech and began laying it all out for everyone!  :)

He is a bit OCD...and I say that with a loving and patient heart!  He would cry if his clothes didn't match his shoes and tie.  Every hair had to be in place.  Don't touch anything in his room...he knew exactly where everything was and knew INSTANTLY if you had invaded his space! 

The night he received the Holy Ghost was a wonderful, precious night!  It was so wonderful to see God do a work in his heart...finally...God was real to him!  And even though he is not following in God's will at this time...I have faith that it is deep within his heart to do so and that he will find his way back to the fold!

He was always the one to agitate, tease and pick on his sisters.  He would walk through the kitchen and moon them just to see if they noticed.  He'd walk around the house without a shirt on so everyone could admire his "6-pack", which was his ribcage!

He has always been a people person...never meets a stranger!  He has friends by the droves.  While he is not a leader...he is not a follower.  He is not intimidated by the crowd...not afraid to stand for what he thinks is right.

But underneath all the teasing is my little man.  He loved to sit on my lap, for me to read stories to him, to sing him to sleep.  Hank the Cowdog, Adventures in Odyssey, Louis L'Amour...all his heroes! 
My prayer for you, my precious son, is that you will never lose your adventurous spirit, never forget all God has done for you, always remember where you came from and who loves you most, and that when you ride off into the sunset you will be able to hold your head up proudly! 

May this birthday be the bestest ever!  May it bring you untold measures of joy, love and happiness.  I love you with all of my heart and am the proudest momma ever to call you my son!  Happy Birthday, sweetie!

Love,
Mom

K.  Bye, now!