One of my favorite posts

Colin will turn 14 years old tomorrow. I can't believe where the time has gone. We will be doing birthday stuff all day, so I wanted to share one of my favorites blog posts, in honor of Colin's birthday.

My First Roomate:
I got this roomate when I was a junior in college. The request was very unexpected, but I could never turn him away. I knew him for 9 months before he was my roomate. In those 9 months, I felt like I knew him. I created a bond with him that I knew would last a lifetime. We would listen to music together and we would talk about his future. He really made me think about my own future as well.

He was a very short man, kind of funny looking. But, the second I saw him I thought he was the cutest. From the moment I met him, I knew we would be lifelong friends. I always hoped he would feel the same.

When he first moved in, it was quite the adjustment. I am still not sure how I managed it. Living with him was nothing like I ever expected. I had to constantly clean up his crap, he would be up in all my business, and I had to do all the cooking and cleaning. I put up with it though. In fact, I kind of liked it.

We lived together for a while and then all of a sudden, he started talking back to me. And, most of the time it was just jibberish, I could not even understand what he was saying. We would talk but I was never even sure he understood me. We had our ups and downs, but our relationship grew over the years.

In no time, all of his stuff was all over the place. It was like he owned the place. In every corner of every room were his "toys". I must admit, I bought some of these things, I knew he just "had to have them". I guess in a way, I thought the more I gave him, the more he would give to me - love that is, not gifts.

It did not take long before I was in total love with him. I always knew that we would have a life-long friendship. In my eyes, he could do no wrong.

Over the next few years, he became more and more dependent on me. I had to drive him everywhere, as he does not have a license. I also had to buy everything for him, he did not have a job. I had to cook for him, he was not mature enough to do it himself. I had to pick out his clothes, he had NO fashion sense. I loved him anyway. More and more each day. And I realized how lucky I was that I did not have him to live somewhere else.

We were always together, then things changed. He started hanging out with his buddies...all the time. It seemed like he was never home. I really missed my guy and always thought about the time we shared just the two of us. I knew he was maturing and didn't want to hang around with "just some girl". So, I let him go and did not complain much, I mean, he was free to do what he wanted. I loved him anyway.

When I met my husband, my roomate was so great to him. They hung out all the time and soon became buddies. I loved seeing them hang out together. What could be better than my two favorite guys together. My husband (then boyfriend) never even questioned the fact that I had a roomate. He knew we shared a special bond. One he knew he could never break. He knew a lot of times when we would hang out, my roomate would be along for the ride. He embraced the chance to get to know him even better.

Soon, my roomate figured out that I would marry my husband and he welcomed him with open arms. I knew that not only would I be his longtime friend, but my husband would be his friend for life as well.

We got married and my roomate stood right by my side. I needed him there. In fact, he walked me down the aisle!

My new husband never questioned bringing my roomate into our new married home. He would not have it any other way. Now, the three of us live as a family.

My first roomate: my son, Colin. Happy Birthday.