joel

Joel's birthday was this week. I'm glad he was born. He has become such a cool young man. Sometimes its hard to believe he's the same kid he was when he was little. I remember him doing puzzles endlessly over and over and people being amazed at how quickly he did them. I remember huge tantrums because he never ate dinner and then didn't want to go to bed. I remember him doing crazy dances in his tighty whiteys standing up in his chair at the dinner table and at the same time his kindergarten teacher couldn't get him to say a word to her at school. I remember him starring and singing solos in the Opera in 6th grade and doing the river dance in his orange high tops. I have such great memories of going on soccer tournaments together, just Joel and I. I slept in the bed and Joel slept in the closet or the windowsill! I remember jogging the river walk in wichita with him and going to the theater where we ordered dinner. I remember playing mind games to help the car ride go faster. I remember running into Joel at TR and he'd hug me. I still have a sticky note that Joel wrote and stuck in my office when he went to Eisenhower that says "Sup Dawg?" Lately we've been going to Chipotle together about once a week. Joel is making nerdy cool again. Joel is good looking and stylish with his black glasses and tube socks with too small gym shorts. I remember the night he wore black dress socks with his new Tom shoes and gym shorts to go to a party! Joel has such unique friends that it has been fun getting to know. I have walked in on them many a time playing Mario or pokemon. What other 17 and 18 year olds do that? Joel is confident and smart and he is also very kind. The other day we went to Best Buy and he took a cart that was parked in the way of a good parking spot and he put it where it belonged (we were already parked). Earlier this year I ran into a gal who substitute taught for Joel. She said, "I just made the connection, you are Joel Clark's mom. I don't usually get to know the kids names who I sub but I know Joel because he is always so helpful to me when I sub in his classes at the high school." Who could have a better kid than that?