Happy Birthday - on September 24 - to my precious baby, my youngest son, Jonathan.  Some of my favorite Jonathan stories:

10) Soccer was Jonathan's sport. One night, playing for Rome High, his junior year, Jonathan was kicked in his head. When the resulting gash bled, Jonathan was forced to leave the game.

His coach almost never took Jonathan out of the game.

[caption id="attachment_982" align="aligncenter" width="464"]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Jonkicking.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-982 " title="Jonkicking" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Jonkicking-745x1024.jpg" alt="" width="464" height="638" /></a> Jonathan playing sweeper for Rome High[/caption]

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Dr. Rogers, whose sons also played for Rome High, offered to take Jonathan into the weight room to stitch up the gash.  Jonathan, his Dad and Dr. Rogers disappeared into the school, while Jonathan's mother - me - paced back and forth near the doorway.  Gregg held a flashlight to provide Dr. Rogers with enough light to do the stitches.

The doctor gave Jonathan a choice: a local anesthesia for pain, and Jonathan would not be able to return to the game.  Or no anesthesia and he could continue to play.  Jonathan opted to go back in the game.

Six stitches later, Jonathan came running out of the school, past his mother, and up to the sidelines, where his coach put him immediately back in the game.

Gregg and I returned to our seats in the stands, just in time to sit down, tell our fellow spectators that he's gotten 6 stitches, then we looked up to see Jonathan head the ball down the field.

You should have heard the collective gasp from the Rome High parents.

9) Lillian and "do-do"

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8) 20 Goals in One Season played with brothers 9 7 and 3 years older

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7) Mudding in the Front Yard

[caption id="attachment_794" align="aligncenter" width="497"]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/JonIsaacmud2.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-794" title="JonIsaacmud2" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/JonIsaacmud2.jpg" alt="" width="497" height="522" /></a> Isaac standing, watching Jonathan slide in the mud in front of our house. They were six years old.[/caption]

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