Spotlight On...

Taylor Jon Hill was born at 11:53 p.m. on Friday, January 22, 1993. I had been laboring all day, but I was determined that, after 6 months on the market, our house was going to be sold at that 4:00 p.m. appointment! So I laid around all day, we sold the house, I ate a footlong Subway, and then we headed to the hospital. I was so grateful that Taylor graced us with his presence BEFORE January 23rd! He weighed in at 8 pounds 1 ounce, and in spite of his mother being stoned for the first few hours of his life, he thrived.

Briana, his 2-year-old sister, called him Tayo Jean (pronounced in the french way--"zhahn"), and Tayo-Jonny he became! We have had to promise to only call him that in private, though, since he doesn't want his friends to tease him for life or longer.

Our T has many talents. He is very respectful; he's confident; he has a lot of raw music ability (which is being honed in high school). He understands computers--he's been my go-to guy since he was about 8 years old! He worked hard to play lacrosse well. He's a deep thinker. He's an awesome writer, including fiction and poetry. He keeps friends for a long time.

When Tay was little, he always snuggled with a blankie. Or an article of clothing. Whatever he could find was fine. It made me a little gaggy when he chose dirty underwear from the hamper! Once he brought his pillow into the kitchen, where I was standing at the sink doing dishes. It was after church, and I was still in my dress and hose. He laid on the pillow behind my feet, and rubbed my nylon-clad legs. I had to step carefully so as not to squish our sleeping little man.

For a year or so (ya know, 6th or 7th grade) Taylor didn't do much snuggling with us any more. After that, though, he started draping on us--arms around the shoulders, head in the lap, etc. Sometimes it was a slight invasion of space, but for the most part I loved that we finally had our boy back in our arms (so to speak). Now he is taller than any of us, so when he puts his arm around me, I can lay my head on his shoulder. (I'm only allowed to do this in private, too, but that's OK.) I love snuggling with this boy-man!

Taylor is 17 years old. He is finishing his junior year of high school. In another two years (yikes!) we will be sending him on a mission. He's a fabulous young man, and I can hardly wait to watch him become the man I know he can be!