We have a young man in our house

This last March, (Yes, I am REALLY behind), my darling first son, the one who could not be in my presence without being smothered with kisses, the one who had more energy and determination than any child I have ever known, turned 12.

He has grown up so much. In fact, he didn't want presents, just money so that he could buy whatever he wanted. Not surprisingly, he was very generous with his birthday money and with the money he had earned from his paper route. "I'll buy pizza for everyone Mom." "If we go to the store, I will buy everyone candy."

It's usually food he offers;) But I have a theory about people who are generous with their money-they always have it. They get what they give. And it's true with Charlie, he always seems to have money.

In April, instead of going to the San Juan Islands with his 6th grade class, he chose to spend 2 days camping with his dad. So Jeff took off from work and they headed out, just the two of them.

Charlie is a remarkable boy. He has an ability to memorize entire bits from Jim Gaffigan and Brian Regan. He never loses anything. Seriously. He always knows where everything he owns is. And he is not messy. His room has always been the easiest to clean. He had a girl at school ask him to be boyfriend/girlfriend with him. He told her that he liked her but that he couldn't date til he was 16. She said, "Well, your parents don't have to know." And he let her know that we weren't the only reason he wouldn't do it. And then he came home and told me, cuz he tells me everything.

 He also really hates swearing. Like, really, really hates it. At the beginning of last year, some kids asked him to sit with them at lunch. He liked them, but they swore a lot. He asked them not to. They tried, but couldn't seem to do it. So he went and sat somewhere else. And when one of them came to ask him why he wasn't sitting with them, he told them honestly, "You swear too much."

I was amazed  that he was confident enough, as a brand new sixth grader, to tell a 7th grade boy the truth like that. And he didn't give a second thought to it.

He is working towards his Eagle Scout award. I forget how far he is, cuz I was never a scout, but he is right on course. We are really proud of him for it and grateful that he is so focused and truly loves doing the right thing.

Charlie is also amazing to his sisters. He has his very normal older brother moments, but even those are mild. And if anyone else were to say or do anything rude to one of his sisters? He would not hesitate to defend them. Kate and Charlie especially have a bond. Maybe it's because she is the oldest so the distance is far enough that she CAN tell him what to do. But he will let her kiss him and hug him and half the time I am telling those two to calm down;)

He is simply an awesome, good, kind, righteous young man who loves his family and who is a supreme goofball. But how else could anyone survive in this family without a bit of quirkiness:

We love you Charlie!