Ryan: ELEVEN

 Happy 11th Birthday Ryan James Nullmeyer!!

Gosh, 11 just sounds so old. Like you're practically a teenager! (I think you DO look like a teenager in the above picture!)

Your personality stayed very much the same this year. These are the words I wrote about you when you turned 10, and they remain very true! "You are such a complicated mixture of personality traits. You are extremely sensitive, especially when you feel something isn't fair. You love to argue. You insert yourself into every situation going on around you, whether it has to do with you or not! You can be extremely goofy but also very serious and moody. You tend to be a very glass-half-empty kind of guy."

(The day you turned 5)

One big change for you this year was to begin homeschooling. We've had some rough days and we've definitely had our arguments, but I feel like I've been given the gift of time with you. Every day I am learning new things about you and seeing you with fresh eyes. 

I am discovering just how mechanical you are, and how good you are at figuring out anything technological. If I can't figure out how to connect the TV to the DVD player, or how to fix something around the house when Daddy isn't home, you're my guy. You learn by doing with your hands, and this unique way that you learn is so very apparent to me now.

I am constantly amazed by your artistic abilities, especially when it comes to drawing. (usually cars!) 

Just the other day you said that you'll probably be an architect when you grow up, and I believe you would really excel at that type of job.

You're back on the field for baseball and this makes me so happy! Overall you are quite athletic and you enjoy being active, but you struggle with being in your head too much. If you make a mistake or have a bad time up at bat, it really weighs on you and you have a hard time shaking off your negative emotions.

You love listening to music, and you can often be found wearing your headphones, singing along to Chris Stapleton (you have an amazing voice!). You're kind of a slob, and your room and clothing drawers are often a mess. You hate waking up in the morning, and you hate going to bed at night.

You are still SO competitive with your brother Lucas. You two are inseparable and always choose to play together, but at the same time you argue constantly. Anything and everything with you two will turn into a competition or a fight. You talk a lot about the future when the two of you will live together. I hope and pray you grow up to be best friends!

It doesn't seem like you've grown much lately, but we'll see what the doctor says next week at your well-check. 

When I look at you I still see the most adorable little boy.

To the nail-biting, junk-food-loving, car-drawing, suntanned blue-eyed boy who made me a mother, I love you so much. I pray you continue to mature and develop into the God-fearing man you were created to be.