Matthew turned 14 this year! Time really does fly. We have done a few test drives and I have him signed up to take the written drivers test next week. He thinks he is going to ‘wing it’. If he fails he has to wait a bit to take it again so I am encouraging him to study. I am actually looking forward to him being able to get himself around a little bit in the next year or two. Shuttling everyone around can be a full time job.
He decided to have a few friends spend the night for his b-day. Ryan took them all to an Escape Room. They were able to figure it out and escape with a few minutes to spare. They ate pizza and candy the rest of the night while playing video games.
We were out of wrapping paper so I just decorated the box myself. 
The past week of so I have spent a lot of time reminiscing and thinking about being his mom the past 14 years. I have been blessed with a very good son. A lot of the qualities and strengths he has I have seen in him since he was born or very young. They have become more pronounced or developed more but I’m always amazed at how much of their personalities are present and distinguishable when they are born, some even before that. Matthew has always been sweet and kind and tender hearted. He is quick to pick things up in all aspects of his life-physical, emotional, mental. He is a very good friend and likes to have meaningful friendships but his shyness can slow the process down a little for him. He is a happy person. He is hard on himself and tries to improve, he hides this so well that sometimes I forget he tends to put too much pressure on himself until it boils over sometimes. He wants to do good and be good. He internalized things far better than I ever did at his age. He has a good sense of humor and is fun to be around. He has empathy, compassion, and kindness. His sisters look up to him and love it when he gives them attention. His dad says, “The gospel rests on his shoulders well.” I agree. He listens and understand the gospel well and works on his testimony. I am glad that I get to be his mom, I am excited to see what he is going to do with his life over the next few years. He is good.
His best friend not girlfriend Campbell (she is his girlfriend) has a birthday the same week as Matthew so she came over and I took them to lunch with the family and they exchanged gifts. They each got each other candy and a sweatshirt. She is a very sweet girl and I like her. Matthew has liked her since she moved here in 4th grade. They just started talking and becoming friends at the end of last year, and over the summer have become “really good friends”. The discussions of dating, expectations, guidelines and family rules have been reviewed A LOT in our house lately. The sweet spot the Terry family has been riding the past few years of self sufficient low drama children has sprung a leak. I have heard myself saying many things to him that I know I remember rolling my eyes at when my parents said them to me when I was his age. My number one goal right now as we tip toe into learning how to guide him through relationships with the opposite sex for the next few years is keeping the lines of communication open. He knows I don’t want him to get serious and have a girl friends for several more years down the road but if he is going to do it anyways I don’t want him sneaking around doing it. I want him in my house under my supervision. His sisters are also excellent information gatherers and reporters and chaperones as well, and are very willing to help.