The Sweetie in the Middle

Today is Joe’s 13th birthday. I used to make homemade cards for the kids and have fell out of the practice recently. Those cards meant so much to Joe; I think they were his favorite part of his birthday celebrations. To make up for the store-bought card, I promised Joe that I would write a birthday blog about him.

A heart full of love and kindness is how I would describe Joe. He is always looking out for others, especially those that he sees as small and defenseless, like his younger brother and sister. He reaches out to them frequently to teach them, play with them and love them. He does the same for fellow students, especially if he sees someone who seems to be in need of a little extra kindness. Maybe this is because as a middle child, he does have a higher than average sense of fairness, and he wants to make sure that everyone whose life he touches, feels that life is fair to them as well.

Joe is very easy to get along with and makes friends easily. He tries very hard to please and make everyone happy. But, back to that fairness issue again, if he feels that he is treated badly, he is quick to blow up in anger. I guess I could say that Joe wears his heart on his sleeve. His emotions always show and the whole world knows when he is feeling happy, sad or angry.

Joe is super smart. He grasps difficult concepts quite easily and is even able to help his older brothers with their homework. He rarely asks for help, and is quite diligent about completing his work to the best of his ability. He loves to read, and we’ll often find him curled up in a chair, (sometimes sitting upside down!) with a good book. His favorite types of books to read are usually sports related.

One of Joe’s best talents is his ability to write great stories. He is extremely creative and has a wonderful way with words. He is currently working on an adventure story called “Super Priest and Captain Weirdy” which I’m sure will turn out to be very entertaining. Joe is also gifted with a beautiful singing voice. He is a member of the Choristers of St. Francis Xavier and performs at the Cathedral. He has performed quite a few solos with this group and has always received many compliments. Joe is also a very good basketball player. His dream would be to become a professional basketball player, but his leadership skills would also be a plus if he would end up becoming a coach. Joe also has a gift for debating. He can argue a point until his opponent (usually mom or dad!) is exhausted and gives in. We tell Joe we think he would make a great lawyer some day.

One of my favorite nicknames for Joe is sweetie. This goes back to the time when he was a toddler and he played house with his brothers. He was always the “sweetie” baby and I love to remember him like this because he is incredibly sweet. One of his favorite games that he likes to play with me is called “you’re funny”. He will tell me that I’m funny; to which I always automatically reply, “You’re funny!” He always cracks up when I tell him this, so I guess it’s true that he really is funny.

When I asked Joe to think of a description for himself using an element of nature, he chose a cloud. He said that like a cloud, he would like to relax and float by and watch the world pass in peace, yet like a cloud, he can also be dark and stormy at times. I would say that Joe is a very typical middle child, with an above average intelligence and capacity for love. He is honest and fair and kind and we hope he always stays this way.