Quinn turns 16 on Sunday
Wow!!
It's a little hard to believe that the Mighty Quinn is already 16 years old. It kind of snuck up on me. I suppose that shouldn't be surprising... Quinn is all about quiet progress and goal smashing without fanfare.
Quinn is an easy child. He doesn't demand much and just mostly goes with the flow. Given some of the other big personalities we have in the house, I suppose you could say that he doesn't get his "fair share" of the attention, the accolades, the drama... I could write a whole paragraph about how he's a typically overlooked middle-child. I guess... But I don't view him that way at all.
Quinn is the boy I check in on the most. I frequently pop my head into his room to make sure he's OK. These little interactions take maybe 15 seconds because they almost always go something like this. <knock knock> Quinn, "what?" <open door> Me, "Hey. How are you?" Quinn, "Fine." Me, "What are you up to?" Quinn, "Watching fill-in-the-blank." Me, "OK. How are you?" Quinn, "Fine." Me, "Do you need anything?" Quinn, "No." Me, "OK." <exit scene>
LOL He's a man of few words.
BUT he's also the son most likely to come lay on my bed and talk about something bothering him. He's deeper, in many important ways, in his thoughts than his brothers. He senses the world around him and sees things that I'm guessing many 16 year olds don't even recognize. He's an empath and feeds on energy around him - good or bad. For this reason, it's even more important to me to give him hugs and give him the space he needs to feel, process, and share. I keep more an eye on his emotional status than I do with his brothers because he's far more likely to internalize a harsh word, or a nasty glance, or a loss than Spencer is. It's harder for Quinn to let this go and not let the little hurdles in life impact his mood - or his confidence.
And that's why I am SOOOOO happy that Quinn has found a small group at church where he feels comfortable. I know that despite how open we are to letting Quinn lay at the foot of our bed in the evenings, he's never going to share all of his thoughts with us. I know there are some things that he will feel more comfortable talking about with his peers. And this group is so perfect for him. They have accepted him. They love him. They have shown him how to let God into his life. They are teaching him how to follow Jesus. And they are going to help him navigate through the rest of this ultra-challenging phase of his transition from child to man. I really couldn't be happier to have this group to help us guide Quinn's spiritual and moral growth. Three cheers for Browns Bridge InsideOut!
While I feel like he's on a good path spiritually, I also love the connection Quinn has with his wrestling brothers - for some other important reasons. This group gives him an in-school peer group that no one outside the team will mess with. I mean, really... the wrestling team is full of a bunch of fit, strong, and fearless men. They have each other's backs and have created a safe space for physical growth, strength training, and competition. Quinn has thrived under the watchful eyes of his teammates, captains, and coaches. I couldn't ask for a better team for him to be a part of and am so thankful that he's been able to play the role he has as a West Wrestler. He's getting better all the time and I think the next couple of years we will watch him turn all of the opportunities he's been given and the support he has into an increasingly fun experience.
I think it's easy to underestimate what happens going from 15 to 16. It's just another year, right? (for most kids) It's not the terrifying transition to high school year. It's not the equally terrifying transition out of high school year. You aren't an upperclassman. You aren't a freshman. You aren't a child anymore, but don't really have any harsh responsibilities. It's just kind of a passage year, right? No no no. This is a year of change as big as any other. It's the change from monitored and dependent to freedom. It's the transition to having an educated opinion and voice. It's testing the waters of adulthood with an ever evaporating safety net behind you.
I can't wait to watch Quinn grow over this next year. Bob and I will be there to support, guide, and love. But I know that he's on a path that will serve him well. He's focused on the right things and has his priorities straight. He's not perfect (no one is), but it would be hard for me to imagine a better version of the Mighty Quinn than the one we are watching blossom in front of us.
Quinn's favorite bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I couldn't pick a better one for him. From the moment he was born, needing to fight to survive, through all his heart issues, scoliosis, seizure scares, failure to thrive, etc etc etc, Quinn has shown that he was put here for a purpose. He is meant to not only survive, but to thrive. And he is teaching us all to trust along the way.
Happy Birthday my sweet Quinn. May you find every comfort, joy, and success you seek this year. And may God watch over your every step.
As you may remember, I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Quinn is going on a mission trip this summer. He's going with his small group to Colorado to serve the homeless. If you would like to support Quinn on this trip, you can make a donation at this link. If you aren't able to donate financially, he would be just as pleased to know that you are praying for him on this journey. Drop him an email at quinn_bovenizer@yahoo.com and let him know you are behind him.
Donate to Quinn Bovenizer for 2020 Colorado Browns Bridge InsideOut - global(x) (powered by ServiceReef)
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In non-birthday news...
We have another wrestling kind of weekend in front of us. For the high school teams, this is the start of their version of playoffs - for the individual wrestlers. Spencer will be wrestling with the varsity squad and needs to place top 4 in the region to move onto Sectionals next weekend. Quinn will be wrestling with the JV guys and will be looking for a spot on the podium. He's technically done after this weekend, but will continue to practice with the varsity guys to keep them sharp through the end of the season.
Zane and Beckett are wrestling on Sunday as well. They both had a bit of a rough time last weekend. I think maybe we all underestimated how impactful Zane's month of bed-rest had been. He's been back to practice this week and is feeling much better. We're hoping to get him some wins this weekend!
Have a great week everyone!
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