William (written July 16, 08)

Today is my son William's birthday. He is 31. I recall on the morning he was born I watched Bugs Bunny cartoons as I timed the contractions that proclaimed his coming birth. It was a good pregnancy, I did not gain much weight, did not suffer the horrible morning sickness I had with the girls, I knew he was going to be a boy (no ultrasounds to give us the sex back then) I knew what his name would be. He was the first boy in a long line of girls in both sides of the family so there was much celebration in the birth of William Brainard.

He was named for his two grandfathers, but we called him Willie. I am sure he hated his middle name at times but as he grew older he knew he was carrying on the name of two great men. And he has done a good job.

He is a good-hearted man raised by a good-hearted man. A man that was not his birth father but loved him just as much and they are as close as father and son should be.

He is a man that will tell you he is a mama's boy with pride but that does not make him weak by any means. I know he loves his mama and it brings me a sense of security.

He is all male, but he is in touch with his feminine side:0).

He is a man that loves his wife and I have peace knowing how much his wife loves him. He loves children. The Lord has not blessed them with children but he wants desperately to be a dad, I think he will be a good one. They may be adopting soon.

He is very confident, a little bit redneck, an avid hunter and fisherman, a gentleman (older women always thought he was wonderful), a joker, a hard worker, and more than slightly accident prone. When he was younger he had books stashed all over the farm, and if you could not find him, he was off somewhere reading. He remembered everything he read and often got in trouble for correcting everyone even though he generally knew what he was talking about. He is a very intelligent man.

Like his mama, he loves life, he loves the beauty of nature and finds it no matter where he is. He loves animals, especially his dogs, big dogs that love him to death. He loves music and belts out odd bits and pieces of songs at any given moment (hmmm that sounds familiar).

He is a big man, a little too heavy, but tall and strong.

He has brilliant blue eyes that change with his moods. He and my grandgirl Tori have the blue eyes of my grandmother Juanita.

He loves Jesus too, but still sews wild oats now and then.

I am very proud to call him my son and I wish him many blessings and all the happiness his heart can hold.

Happy birthday Willie my boy! Your mama loves you very much!