Happy 18th Birthday Tanner

Today was Tanner's 18th birthday. I am sentimental. My baby is all grown up. I am so proud of him. It's Tanner's turn to get his tribute from me. He's waited the longest out of all of my children to get his accolades.

Tanner is a very fine young man. William looked at me the other night and said "what did we do to be so blessed to have Tanner as our son, especially with him being our last child"? One of the reasons he said this was because Tanner comes in earlier at night than any of our other teenagers did. He shows up usually way before his curfew and doesn't keep his elderly parents up at night. How lucky are we?

Tanner volunteered two years ago to work in the school cafeteria during lunch. He has received free lunches for two years. I haven't written a lunch ticket for him for that long. I just figured out the amount he's saved us. It looks like it's over $800.00. He volunteered on his own and just decided to help the school out.

Tanner is obedient. He just does what he is supposed to do. When the orthodontist told him not to have this or that, he didn't. When we ask him to do something, he simply does it.

Tanner is extremely self-disciplined. He rarely drinks pop. He likes it but he just makes a conscious choice not to have it, nor most desserts. He just wants to be sure his body doesn't ingest a lot of sugar and sweets. He doesn't want to gain weight. It's pretty fascinating that one so young can turn down all those temptations. He's an example to us all in that area. He also runs and lifts weights regularly on his own. He is strong in that area. His motivation to be physically fit comes from within. Just last Thursday he ran to the YMCA, lifted weights, and ran back home. On Friday he ran at the school track.

Tanner has figured out that when he doesn't want to do something, but knows he should, that he should work hard and just get it done. He then reflects back on it and realizes it wasn't that hard and he's glad it's done. What a great lesson for all of us to learn!

Tanner will do dishes OFTEN without us asking him to. He just gets them ALL done. It's so cool to watch him just begin doing dishes on his own. He is helpful and really knows his way around the kitchen. I think it's because he has worked in the food industry the last four years.

Tanner is self-motivated. We found him on his own studying a missionary manual called "Preach my Gospel" at a regular time every day, and writing all the answers to the questions down. He said he set a goal to do it, and he just followed through. Tanner has taken a religion class called seminary for the past three years. This is his last year in the program. It takes a great deal of time and study and we are proud of him for learning his scriptures in seminary.

Tanner is responsible. He has had a job since age 14. He currently works at Subway and for the YMCA. He has earned quite a lot of money for someone his age. Last year he had three W2 forms for his taxes. He doesn't spend his money, but saves it and has gone to "Edward Jones" to invest it. He often jokes with his parents about how much his money is earning in interest (while we watched our stocks fall). It's a wonderful thing to have a son be so responsible with his money and with a job.

Tanner has a great sense of humor. He loves to laugh and to have fun. He has an infectious smile. He is playful and funny.

Tanner is intelligent. He is especially good in math and is in the AP calculus class this year. He wants to be a mechanical engineer. From the age of three, we noticed Tanner loved to figure out how things worked. He would help his father put various things together in the home. William tells the story that when he was very young, he solved a problem William was having installing a disposal in the kitchen sink.

Tanner is affectionate. He has never been embarrassed to hold hands with his parents (or grandparents), or put his arm around one of us in public. He'll give me a kiss on the cheek often and he'll lean his head on my shoulder in church. It warms my heart. His Grandfather Davis was so impressed with this quality. It's a wonderful thing when a teenager does this.

Tanner loves technology. He is excellent at figuring it all out. Sometimes the "experts" tell William things can't be done that Tanner has figured out how to do. Tanner's older brothers will call him and ask him technology questions. He is a fast learner and just understands "how things works". He usually goes way too fast trying to teach someone else about something on the computer, because his mind is three steps ahead of everyone else's. It's been that way much of his life and I often have to tell him to s-l-o-w down.

Tanner loves children. He is a great uncle to his nieces. He has a special tenderness with them.

Tanner is kind to others. I've had the school receptionist tell me how much she enjoys Tanner and what a great kid he is. Others have given him gifts for going over to their home and teaching them computer technology. My daughter-in-law wrote a comment a week ago that Tanner is "such a good, wholesome guy and an example to her and to her husband."

Tanner is trustworthy. We as parents have let him have many freedoms because we trust him. Now to be fair to my other children, we were stricter as parents in the earlier years, but Tanner has never given us a reason not to trust him. One time I was very upset because I didn't know where he had gone. I looked everywhere and called his friends. His car was gone and he had not left a note. It turns out, he had gone to the YMCA to exercise. That's as bad as it's gotten. Everywhere he tells us he'll be, he is, and he's home when he's supposed to be. He calls when he's supposed to, and he checks in with us when he's away.

Tanner loves soccer and was quite good at it. Unfortunately the soccer program ended in our village, so he can't do what he loves the most. He is in track, and ref's soccer at the YMCA for sports. He's played baseball, basketball, and was on the diving team also.

Tanner likes to be by himself. He enjoys his own company. He will have friends over sometimes, and hang around with friends, but he is home quite a big. We love that.

Tanner likes his room clean. He keeps it pretty nice. He made a desk in shop and this desk is organized. It's a great quality. He's done his own laundry since his junior high years.

Tanner plans ahead, and doesn't mind sacrificing. I was writing a check for his Virginia Beach choir trip next year. All of our other children went. He told me he wasn't that excited to go. He said it would just be a major bus ride there and a few days of touring. He didn't think it was worth the money. I tried to encourage him to go and told him how much fun he would have. He insisted that riding on the bus (all night both ways - that's their motel) for as many days as he would be there didn't thrill him. He told me to save the money for his mission. I am so impressed with his maturity. I couldn't talk him in to it. I am hoping to take a family trip with him with that money (like $650.00) instead and create some wonderful memories together. He also didn't want to go to his prom last year. He feels it's over rated. Because of several factors, (so many girls dress immodestly, the kids drink and dance inappropriately, and it costs a lot) he just wasn't interested in it. Bless his heart!

When we were in Utah at Jeffrey and Jenn's wedding, I told Tanner I would buy him new clothes and new tennis shoes. He said "no mom, then I'll just have to carry them home in the suitcase". We were in a shoe store, and he needed new tennis shoes badly, but didn't care about them. He's been that way often. I will offer to buy him something new and he turns it down. Go figure? I think it's a combination of being frugal, using what he has, and knowing the value of a dollar. That's a great combination to have for someone his age. He "rarely" needs something or asks his parents for money.

Tanner learned to be a leader through his Eagle project. He made a pathway to the flagpole at our church, landscaped around it and put a light up so a flag can be flown at night. He had many obstacles with it, but he followed through and got it done. Yeah! He did so much of it on his own. One day after church, he informed us that he had sent information around about a date he would be having a fund raiser at church. He hadn't informed us about that date. He just took the initiative and went for it. (We had to explain that it's important to let your parents know beforehand what your plans are).

Tanner stands up for what he knows is right. Our community is not an easy one to live in for a teenage boy because many of his classmates drink. He stands up for what he knows is right, and stands tall. He is focused on his direction in life, and just puts one foot in front of the other to get there.

Tanner is sweet. He just has a good heart. He is kind to his parents.

Tanner has struggled with his health in some areas, but he has been patient and has learned about trials. I believe he is stronger and more compassionate because of this.

Tanner is in the school choir and enjoys singing. For years he played the tenor sax. I'm glad he has music in his life.

Tanner loves his siblings. He had a difficult time when Michael left on his mission. He has not enjoyed being the only child at home. He admires his older sister, sister-in-laws, brother and brother-in-law. He gets along with them all so well, and they love to be with him. Marc and his friends have invited Tanner to Columbus to go hang our with them for a get together, and he LOVED being with them. He has wonderful examples to follow and he is choosing the very best qualities to emulate from them. He continues to impress us with his choices.

Tanner is my sunshine. I use to sing "You are my sunshine" to him when he was a baby and toddler. He has brightened up my life in so many ways. Words just don't do justice how I feel about him and how wrapped up my heart is in love for him. He is a joy to have as a son. He is a pleasure to have in our home. He is an example to so many others. He loves others and serves them. He is such a blessing in our lives. Happy 18th Birthday my dear, wonderful son. You are so incredibly loved!