Happy Birthday Malcolm!

Malcolm in 2002 9 years old.


Malcolm at 17 years



Malcolm


I am so late posting this.. Malcolm turned 18 on this last Thursday. He celebrated by going to see Lion King 3D with his girlfriend Mallory. Which seemed very fitting. I can't tell you how many Lion King movies we went through with him. I had to laugh they came back and I asked how the movie was. She said I will never see it again.? Malcolm knows every word to the movie! lol I can totally see him sitting there quoting and singing the whole thing.
Malcolm turning 18 has well caught me by surprise. I can't believe he is already that old. And therefore it makes me that much older.( I will deny though). I have watched him grow into such an amazing young man and just in the last couple of months his attitude and general being has changed. As he talks about needing to get a job so he can save money for his mission. Or things like Saturday I had planned a surprise party for the Malcolm and Cole's birthday yet it ended up not being a surprise. I had worked Friday night gone straight to the temple from work Saturday ran to around that area for errands and then came home to find him more than willing to help get the boxes moved out of the livingroom and help me finish getting the house ready for their party. And he volunteered to do this. (Not a good idea to do a party 1 week to the day you move into a new place.) His attitude and willing to help really put me at ease, especially since I had not been to bed yet.
This year for their birthday's money had been a little tight and he wanted me to wait on his gift and get Cole's birthday present first. I don't know of many people kids or grown that would offer that. He was dead set on that too. So for his birthday he got a 2 liter of Dr. Pepper and some Mike and Ike's candy. His gift will come in a couple of weeks.

I normally do a list but I would rather with him tell some stories that I think define who he is. Malcolm has never had things easy in life being the oldest of divorced parents can be alot of pressure. He had to grow up way to fast. There are days I feel really guilty about this he simply told me one day that he would be the person he is without that trial and he likes who he is. I know that he struggled with figuring life out for the last 6 years. However, I look at him today and his good heart and the spiritual strength he has and I am in awe. This was a child that never ceases to amaze me from his intellegence, willing to help others and the love of the gospel. Now granted he is very smart but hates doing his homework that drives me insane!
He gave a talk in sacrament meeting about a month ago and he was so excited he was able to pick his own topic. Man it was amazing talk people asked if they could have a copy which he thought was funny. He had to explain that he didn't write most of it down it was purely the spirit and in his head.
I recently decided it was time for us to downsize to try and cut back as much as possible. As I talked about this he never complained even when I talked about cutting cable and the internet. When the kids saw the house the first time and realized the size he never complained. In fact this morning he told me that he really loves his room it's set up exactly how Cole and him had wanted to do their room just a bit smaller but he was happy.
Malcolm will be finishing his senior year this year and in a year from now will be getting ready to go on his mission. I know I wasn't ready for him to turn 18 but the idea of him moving on to another chapter of his life in a year certainly blows me away. I do know he is an amazing Young man and whatever he decides to do in life he will be amazing at it.
Happy Birthday my not so little guy!
I LOVE YOU FOREVER,
I LIKE YOU FOR ALWAYS,
FOREVER AND EVER MY BABY YOU WILL BE!

MOM