I can walk from my current home to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit where Elias spent his first three months, the place where Nick and I became parents, and where we learned what it means to let go of the false sense of control we carry in our youthful pockets.
Twelve years ago today, life introduced me to the smallest of souls, and we named him Elias Everett Jordan:
And though we live mere miles from the Providence hospital, we have traveled entire universes since my water broke four months early and I delivered Elias via an emergency c-section at 24 weeks.
The distance between then and now feels at once vast and minuscule, like a giant translucent orb with paper thin lining.
This afternoon, Elias and I walked the hallways of his elementary school offering gluten-free brownies to the staff who supports my boy.
"Would you like one?" he would ask.
"What are they?"
"Gluten-free brownies."
"What is the occasion?"
"Its my birthday," he'd smile.
When the bell rang, he put on his Dad's old Blazers jacket, that Nick wore in middle school, and headed off with a staff member from the ARC of Anchorage where he attends an after-school program for middle and high school students with disabilities. As a sixth grader, Elias is one of the youngest in the group.
"Bye Mom!" he said, as he pulled his rolling backpack down the hallway, walking with one cane, eager to go bowling with his friends.
I stood in the hallway and watched his back-- still learning to let go.
Happy Birthday Elias, I love you so!
Another birthday and he wasn't even expected to make it to the first one! Yahoo! Have a great celebration for your big boy.
Posted by: fleming ackermann | 02/03/2016 at 12:54 PM
Happy Birthday Elias. 🎂
Posted by: Dawn M. Skiba | 02/03/2016 at 01:26 PM
Wishing Elias the happiest of birthdays and you the gift of time!
Posted by: Kate | 02/06/2016 at 10:01 AM
Happy Birthday Elias!
Posted by: Lee | 02/09/2016 at 07:11 PM