Friday, December 18, 2009

Happy 17th Birthday Ryan!!


This past week on the 16th Ryan turned 17. I always say this but I truly don't know where the time has gone. It is flying by like some supersonic jet and I want it to go as slow as a turtle. It truly is frightening how fast the years disappear.

Ryan is such an incredible person. Forgive me while I brag for a bit. As his mother I'm entitled to I think. :) He has such a strong spirit and testimony. I love it when I see the light on in his room late and go to check on him and he is reading his scriptures. He has a great understanding of them and can quote so many of them at random. He also works hard on his classes and has a great love of the sciences. When he gets talking about Chemistry, Physics and Calculus my eyes just glaze over. I would be intimidated on how much he knows if I wasn't used to this by now. I remember when he was 5 I went into the bathroom and found the sink full of rocks and filled with water. I wasn't too concerned but was puzzled. I went to find Ryan and he told me he learned about water erosion on TV (Bill Nye the Science Guy) and wanted to do his own experiment. I told him we didn't have a hundred years to wait to see results but maybe we could move it outside. Then there was the time he wanted to test cold water on hot light bulbs and I think you can imagine the results.

My favorite thing about Ryan is his kind heart. You look at the size of him and think that he is big and tough. Well he is on the outside (just ask Kelly if he can still take him down) but he has a compassionate heart. He senses when I'm troubled and always asks what he can do. When he goes to stake dances he looks for girls who are standing alone and asks them to dance. He is kind and giving with his friends. Cassidy knows that he can't stand it when she cries and will come to her rescue....unless he is the one bugging her to tears. :) (Although Cassie gets her time to get even him as noted in the picture below. She likes to decorate him on his birthday and he humors her.)

Ryan chose to spend the afternoon of his birthday doing service. He went out with the missionaries on short notice when they needed a driver and they found an investigator to teach! He also met with someone from Key Club to shop for a child from the schools angel tree. When he got home we had take out Thai food, his favorite and banana cream pie. He received a new suit which he is modeling below, a sweatshirt and a shirt and tie. I hope this is the last suit I have to buy him before his mission.



Ryan I love you so much! I'm glad I have the privilege to be your mother. Thank you for all you do and for who you are. Happy Birthday.

1 comment:

The Brown Family said...

Happy Birthday Ryan!

One of these years, lets plan a big party for you, Hillary and Austin Hill. It would be a blast!

Love
Kim