Thirteen.

My Precious Boy,

Oh my word. Thirteen years have flown by in the blink of an eye. And every preconceived notion that I had about being a mom has been fulfilled and surpassed by having you as my son. I knew I would love having kids. I knew that I would LOVE being a mom. But I had no idea that my heart would be so full. I could have never imagined how much my heart would swell with pride over the person that you are becoming. Your dedication, discipline, perseverance, and character are growing as fast as you are (a whole FIVE inches this year, by the way). You are brilliant, hard working, motivated, and driven. You have huge goals and I have no doubt that you will go after them with everything you have. You don't shy away from any challenge but you meet it head on. And everyday, I'm so very proud of you. And I'm so lucky that I'm the one that gets to love you everyday, wake you up every morning, and kiss you goodnight as you fall asleep. You are one of life's most beautiful gifts and I am beyond words thankful for you.

This last year has been so stinkin cool. You're currently rocking 7th grade at Klahowya. You ran track in the fall, played basketball in the winter, and are currently playing middle school football. You know I don't love football but there's not another sport that brings you greater joy. This is your first year at quarterback and center linebacker. On both offense and defense, you have taken a leadership role because you're a natural born leader. You work hard, lead by example, and invite others to join you. And its so fun to watch. You've been coming home from practice and getting in ANOTHER workout in because your drive to accomplish your goals propels you. And, not to mention, you're holding a very solid 4.0 with magnet and high school classes filling your schedule. You've gained a love of computer science this year - so much so that you might just want to make that a college major along with engineering. And you've set those college sights high with your eye on the United States Air Force Academy.

As I type this letter, you and Dad are in Denver, Colorado. For a surprise 13th birthday trip, we woke you up at 3am on Thursday for your 6am flight. And you guys did almost everything there is to do in Colorado! In Colorado Springs, you visited Garden of the Gods, went gold mining, drove up to Pikes Peak, toured the Air Force Academy, went axe throwing, and rode scooters around the town. Then in Denver you drove go-karts, rode more scooters, visited a church, went to a Colorado Rockies game, explored downtown, and played at Top Golf. Sounded like almost every moment was filled with adventure. We've also adventured to DisneyWorld and DisneyLand this last year, did our summer trip to Eastern WA and our favorite lagoon with Ruthie (the first Axis boat we had), and took a spring break trip to the sunshine in Vegas where we toured the Hoover Dam, and experienced the Grand Canyon in all of its splendor. Each trip is full of inside jokes, tons of swimming, frozen pizzas, and junk food. And every trip with you guys just fills my heart to overflowing.

Zack, my heart swells with joy at the thought of who you are and what your future holds. I'll never know why I got so lucky with the blessing of you. God picked me to get a front row seat to the greatest adventure of my life. You're absolutely incredible. You've taught me what unconditional love truly means, and I am forever grateful for that. I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU!

So today and everyday, I pray this prayer over your life. And I marvel at the promises of Jesus and prayers of my heart as they continue to come true. He is so so so faithful and this life is so beautiful.

Lord, thank you for the precious gift and miracle you have blessed us with in giving us Zack. I pray that you would raise Zack up to be a Mighty Man of God and a warrior for your kingdom. That he would love and serve you and love and serve your people and honor and obey us as his parents. And Lord, that you would give us great wisdom to be parents worthy of his love, honor, obedience, and respect! God I pray that Zack would be a man of integrity and great character. That he would be strong and courageous. That he would tenaciously seek you and your will, but that his heart would be tender in the pursuit of your people. Lord, I pray that your grace and mercy would pour out over his life and that he would accept your amazing gift of forgiveness, every single day. And please work in our hearts to never take this weight of parenting lightly. Lord, we are raising your precious child. He is not ours, he is a child of the Most High God. You have created every speck of sand on the shore, every star in the sky, and know every hair on his head...he is yours. But thank you so much for giving us the amazing opportunity to be his parents and love him every day of his life. Lord I pray that you would protect him from injury, disease, and illness. Protect his heart from heartache. And Lord, please help me to be his greatest fan and encourager. This year he rocked 4th grade. And before I know it, he will be off to Jr. High...and High School! All too soon I will hear Zachariah David Pentz announced as he walks across the platform and is handed his diploma. Lord, I pray even now for Zack's future spouse. I pray that Zack would lay his life down for her as you did for your church. And on that day, on that alter, you would join them together forever in a union that only you could create. Man, it makes my heart happy to think about the day that Zack will hold his baby and gaze into its face just the way that I did eight years ago today. God, continue to shape him and form him into the Man of God that you have called him to be. 

Amen.

My son, you are one of life's greatest gifts.

I love you,

Mom