Living, Loving, Learning

As I think about Griffin turning 13, I have all the usual type of "mom" thoughts: I can't believe I'm old enough to be the parent of a 13 year old, I can't believe my sweet baby is a teenager already, the years are flying by so quickly, Griffin's childhood is really and truly past now.  This feels like a much bigger milestone to me than turning 40 was! But today I want to focus more on where he is going.  What is his future going to be like? And most importantly, what kind of man is he becoming? I could talk about his accomplishments, his good grades, learning to play the trombone, competitive swimming, but the most impressive thing to me, the most important thing to me, is seeing the goodness in him.  Griffin has always been kind, empathetic, friendly and loving and those traits are still with him, shining brightly. It is so reassuring to watch him mature into a reliable guy, a  fantastic son, a loving brother, a loyal friend.  He is helpful and than