On the day before you were born, we had planned to go to the Harrisburg Farm Show with Gene & Rhoda and Carrie. You were still 2 weeks away from your due date and I really didn't give it a thought that you might come early. However, when I woke up that morning, things didn't feel "right" and so we canceled our plans to go to the Farm Show. It was a good thing we did, because later that afternoon we headed to the hospital and you were born early the next morning. It was love at first sight and we named you Shawn Deron. Dad had worked for a farmer who had a son named Shawn and he always told me that if we had a little boy he wanted to name him Shawn. He got no argument from me, because I personally love the name as well. I wanted your middle name to start with a D since my maiden name was Denlinger and eventually we settled on Deron.
Dad and I didn't know a whole lot about babies but that didn't matter to you. You were such a contented and happy little guy that you made our job easy. I remember how your huge brown eyes would follow me wherever I went. I would put you in your little seat on the kitchen table and you would watch me. If I left the room, when I came back your eyes were glued to where you had last seen me and you were patiently waiting for me to return. When I appeared, you greeted me with a big smile.
You talked so early and your pronunciation was perfect. At a little over a year old your vocabulary was amazing. I remember it was hard to keep you quiet in church, because you didn't understand the concept of whispering and you just talked out loud about everything you saw. Some of the things you said could be kind of embarrassing, like the time you exclaimed loudly in church, "I just passed gas!"
You loved riding along with your daddy in the big truck and you soon learned how to operate and "fix" machinery as well. Many a time, you would come in from the shop covered from head to toe with dirt and grease because you were "helping" dad repair something. At around five years of age, you started mowing the grass and soon you were driving tractors, skid loaders, cars, and by twelve years old you could even drive the manure truck!
Sometimes I look back on those times, and wonder that we survived them without serious mishap. Remember the time the lawn mower caught fire while you were mowing and I was in the shower? You came screaming into the house and to the bathroom door. I debated about running out of the house stark naked, but decided that since you were obviously okay, whatever the problem was could wait until I threw on some clothes. Thankfully Grandpa also heard the commotion and had already come up to help before I got there. I'm sure you also remember the time your jeans caught fire from a spark when Dad was welding and before you or he realized it, you had a very severe burn on your leg. I am so thankful it wasn't any worse, but I know you have a nasty scar from that.
One word I would use to describe you is dependable. You were such a hard worker and if there was something to be done you did it. As the oldest child, you were so helpful with your siblings. I always felt comfortable leaving you in charge if Dad and I went away and left you children alone. I know that your brothers and sister looked up to you and I want to thank you for being such a good example to them.
I don't think you ever particularly cared for school, but you didn't complain. You did well enough and probably could have done better if you had really wanted to. You endured those long bus rides and it was a wonderful day when you got your driver's license. It opened up a whole new world and made life easier for all of us. You were able to chauffeur your siblings to school and best of all you could legally drive the big trucks on the road.
Before I had children, I always used to dread the teen years, but I want to thank you for making them easy. You were a sensitive and caring teenager who didn't get into trouble and who was a lot of fun to be around. You joined the church, made good Christian friends and enjoyed having a good time, but you always took being a Christian seriously. I always felt that you made good choices and for that I am extremely grateful.
The years flew by and you were still in high school when you started dated Melissa. In a few short years you were married and together you began attending Living Light Mennonite Church. Both of you bring a lot of talents and gifts to the congregation and I know that they are appreciative of your commitment to them.
And now you are the daddy of an adorable, sweet little boy. You and Melissa are wonderful parents and I have loved watching you interact with Awstin as you adjusted to having a baby in the family. My wish for you, is that your son will bring as much happiness into your life as you did to mine.
I am so blessed to call you my son.
Love,
Mom
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