Stay Golden!

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26 on the 26th of 2026!!! Your long awaited “golden birthday”. It seems like just yesterday I was anxiously awaiting to hold you for the first time (and telling Aunt Kel before I saw you to get a good look at you because I wouldn’t be able to identify you if someone took off with you! LOL) Time really does have a way of flying by. 

From the moment you took your first breath, my life was forever changed. I remember seeing a sign in Dr. Castillo’s office that said, having a child is like watching your heart walk around outside of you forever. I never fully understood what that meant until I first held you in my arms. From that moment on, a piece of my heart has lived in you. Every joy you've experienced has filled me with happiness, and every challenge you've faced has reminded me of your incredible strength.

You are, without a doubt, one of my biggest blessings. Being your mom has been the greatest privilege, and watching you grow into the man you are today has been one of my greatest gifts. I am so incredibly proud of you! Your kindness, your determination, and the way you care for the people around you (especially your Ma, Pa, and Papoo) make me admire you more than words can express.

As you celebrate your golden birthday, I hope you take a moment to realize just how loved you are by everyone. You've already accomplished so much in life, but I truly believe you're only getting started. I can't wait to see where life takes you, what dreams you chase, and all the amazing things you're going to do. I have no doubt that your best days are still ahead of you. You were meant for greatness! 

Continue to face life's ups and downs with strength, determination, and grace. I will always be here cheering you on, celebrating your wins, picking you up when life gets hard, and loving you with my whole heart.

On this special birthday, my wish for you is that you continue to live boldly, love deeply, and never lose sight of the incredible person you are in life. May this year bring you joy, peace, exciting opportunities, and countless reasons to smile.

Thank you for bringing so much joy into my life simply by being you, and thank you for always giving me my much needed hugs!  You deserve all the good things life has to offer. Stay GOLDEN my boy! Happiest of birthday wishes!

I love you always!

Mom

Soaring to New Heights!

 

          

I continue to celebrate you every single day, thankful that I have been with your through every developmental milestone you have reached. From day one you taught me the meaning of true, unconditional love. Thank you for that gift. You have your own personality, your own thoughts and opinions, and your own sense of humor. You have your own interests, your own talents, and your own way of doing things. I celebrate your individuality and uniqueness and am so honored to have a front row view into your life.

You have been out in the "real world" for a little over two years now and have achieved more than you probably even realize. You bought your first fancy car, and she is a bit of an upgrade from Achy Breaky and Country. Although I know you created some cherished memories in your other vehicles, I am happy that you were able to find and purchase a car that you take pride in taking care of and driving. I must say, she is a beauty!

You started a new career in property management and have already received your first promotion. I know you have had your trials and tribulations, but you have persevered and your hard work has paid off. Thankfully, since your new job moved you to the Heights, your commute has been more than cut in half which gives you back some of your time. Keep pushing through and believing in yourself. Even on the challenging days, know that you can and will be able to do hard things. You have proven this time and time again.

Thank you for always making me a priority in your life. I look forward to our daily phone conversations, impromptu meals, and days we get to hangout even if it is just for a small chunk of time. Being your mom is my pride and joy. I love telling my friends Parker stories because they are always funny and bring a smile to others. You truly have one of the best personalities!

Life has its ups and downs and may not always seem fair, but I know your strength and resilience will see you through. May you always know your worth and how incredibly precious you are to me.

Continue to follow your dreams. Find what makes you happy and pursue it. Live a life that has meaning and purpose to you. Most importantly, have fun! Laugh at yourself when you make mistakes. Don't worry about things you cannot control. Love and accept yourself unconditionally! Give yourself grace. Enjoy life to the fullest, and don't compare your life to others. Your life is perfectly yours!

Keep soaring to new "Heights" in your career, life, and friendships. Put your faith and family first, and everything else will fall into place.  

I love you so much! 

Mom

"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 hope and a future". Jeremiah 29:11

Reach for the stars! You are destined to become one!

My Parkerman! Where do I begin? You accomplished all you set out to and more. I cannot describe the pride we all felt for you as your name was called and you crossed the Aggie stage. Whoop! We are forever proud of you and your strength and perseverance. I know it was not always easy, but you never gave up and you should be forever proud of that. You join a long legacy of Aggie graduates.

As you begin this new journey in your life, let your dreams be bigger than your fears, your actions louder than your words, and your faith stronger than your feelings. Behind you are all your college memories. Before you are all your future dreams. Around you are all who will love you forever. Within you is all you need. Don't ever be afraid to take the challenge. You have already proven that you can and will conquer all obstacles thrown your way.

Let the world see you as we do, and continue to spread joy wherever you go. In Travis's words, "Boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very proud!" Continue to reach for the stars! There is no doubt in my mind that you are destined to become one! I cannot wait to witness all that you accomplish.    

I love you forever! Mom

 

Put a ring on it!

How are we here already!?! The countdown to graduation is officially on!  What an amazing semester you have had. You dunked your Aggie ring in...54 seconds nonetheless! I must say, I was quite impressed. I am not sure if that is appropriate for a mom to say, but then again, I am not your average mom. :) You were blessed with so many friends and family that came to celebrate you and all of your accomplishments in Aggieland. It was more than a ring dunk, it was a display that through ups and downs, highs and lows, and triumphs and tribulations you persevered. Stay golden my guy!! 

As you head into your last semester, take time to soak it all in. Don't dwell on situations that you have no control over. Instead take a deep breath and blow it away. Life is worth living to the fullest. Do what you love, and do it well. Spend quality time with friends and family. They are the ones that will continue to be there for you in the good times and the bad. Splurge on yourself every once in a while, but don't overindulge. Taking care of yourself is your most important task in life. 

I challenge you to be better today than you were yesterday. Always strive to be the best version of you. Open your heart to love deeper without the fear of heartbreak. Love is what holds us together when we feel like we could fall apart. Be brave when you feel weak. You will come out stronger for it. I know you can accomplish any and all that you put your mind to in life because you have already accomplished so much.

Last but not least, the Aggie ring symbolizes excellence, integrity, leadership, loyalty, and respect and is highly recognized by all. Wear your ring with pride and hold your hand high! You have earned it. Always stay humble and true to yourself. When you look at the bling of your golden ring know that we are reflected in all that you are and all that you will be in life and we are forever proud. I am so happy you PUT A RING ON IT!!!!

 

Gig 'em one last time!

Where has the time gone!?! It seems like just yesterday I closed the door to your dorm and walked away in tears as I left a part of my heart in Aggieland. I was so beyond proud of you, but I also worried about you being on your own for the first time. Going home and passing by your empty room was definitely weird. Needless to say, you have amazed me with your strength, perseverance, and willingness to work through adversity. College opened your eyes to a whole new world. It definitely wasn't easy, especially during the covid pandemic. You had to learn a whole new way of school, as most of your classes went online. The growth I have seen in you over the past year warms my heart. Finally, I feel like you are enjoying the college life. A bit of normalcy has returned, your classes are much more enjoyable, and you have a job that more than fits your personality. 

As you begin this last semester of your college career, I still have so many hopes and dreams for you. Take time to soak it all in. Go to the games, stroll through the bars and restaurants on Northgate, make new friends, step out of your comfort zone, and dunk your Aggie ring! Whoop! I will continue to be here for you as you walk through this journey. Thank you for including me along this ride. I cherish the phone calls, facetimes, texts, and invitations up to see you. 

You can do anything that you put your mind to in life. You have already conquered some really big mountains and have come out a stronger person because of it. Don't ever let fear keep you from trying. My purpose today is to remind you that I am proud of you, you are more than enough, and you make my heart smile!

Have an awesome semester, and thank you for doing the small things in life that you know are so important to me! You know I love my first day of school pictures and have never failed to send them to me. I love you big!!!
 

My Hope for You

My precious Parker! Where do I begin? My first born, my millennium baby, the boy that made me a mom. Y2K, was the year that most people feared because computers were supposed to crash, the world was supposed to end, and so many other falsities were supposed to happen. For me, it was a year of hope and new beginnings because it was the year you would make your debut! I feared, but I feared for other reasons. Would I be a good mom, would I be able to protect you, would I be able to provide for all your hearts desires? My heart would forever walk around outside my body the day you were born! These 17 years have flown by!

I am somewhat overwhelmed at the thought that you are actually about to graduate. I will more than miss our days together at Jersey Village. It truly is a highlight of my day when you stop by for a brief visit, even if it is just as you are passing me in the hall on your way to class. I will always cherish the time we were able to spend together throughout your high school years. People always asked me why I went into teaching. It had always been a passion of mine since I was a little girl, but in college I thought I might head in a different direction and become a physical therapist because like all graduating kids, I wanted to make money and have a prestigious job. I soon figured out that was not the path for me. I was really good in English and Speech and decided I would pursue that path and become a teacher. Forever Spring Breaks, holiday vacations, and paid summers off with my kids seemed pretty awesome too! This job has afforded me so much more than those things and so many opportunities. I have met and worked with some amazing people and students along the way. Many of them are your mentors and friends. You have always had a "village" to look out for you here! More than anything, this job has allowed me to experience your high school years through your eyes and with you and your friends.

As you begin this new chapter in your life, there is so much that I hope and wish for you. First of all, always believe in yourself. Believing in yourself is not the same as thinking you are hot stuff! It's about staying true to yourself and being proud of who you are...humble, kind, affectionate, and a family man.You are smarter than you know, but there is always room to grow and learn. Keep your sense of humor. Laughter really is the best medicine, and a smile is always free to give. Don't be afraid to be like Kiki and laugh so hard you sometimes snort! It's good for the soul! Make new friends, but keep your old friends too. Friends are the people you will want to share your life and adventures with in college and beyond.

Most of all, know that I will always be here for you! I am your #1 fan and biggest supporter. No matter how old you get or how much taller than me you are, I will always be your mom. I will always have time to talk and listen to you. I will always have time to see you, even if it means making the trip to Aggieland after I get off work to have dinner with you. Know that I will always try to understand and support you. I may not always give you the advice you want to hear. It isn't because I don't love and support you, it's because I love you too much to just tell you what you want to hear.

Our house will not be the same next year with us all not going to bed under the same roof each night. I will miss getting to tell you goodnight, visiting with you, having you make fun of my home cooked meals, and most of all just seeing your smile. Thank God for Facetime, weekend visits, holidays, and summers you get to spend at home. I am beyond proud of you! Parker Michael Thomas, Mr. Magna Cum Laude, Future Aggie, Soon to be Graduate, you continue to amaze me! Gig em Aggies!!!

I love you always and forever!

Mom

What does 100 mean?

100 usually is the mark of success in many people's eyes. If you are 100% positive, then that means you have no doubt about your decision. 100 degrees lets you know that it will be an extremely hot but probably beautiful day. The 100th day of school is a big celebration in kindergarten and first grade. Up to this point students have been counting each day of school, looking for number patterns on the calendar, and counting the days by twos, fives, and tens. While the 100th Day is a lot of fun, it is important for children to remember the mathematical significance of the celebration. 100th day of school provides young children opportunities to investigate place value.  And on the fun side of education, it is the mark of the fact that you are 100 days smarter, you have learned over 100 new concepts, and you have survived 100 days in a once unfamiliar environment without your parents. You are also half way through the school year. The 100th day of school is a time to celebrate! But most significantly, on the 100th day of school you got your math test back, and guess what??? You made a 100 on your test!!! How ironic is that? The day that children in kindergarten and first grade are celebrating the mathematical significance of 100 days you come home with a 100 on your math test.  Now that is one huge accomplishment on so many levels. First of all, you are in honors level math. That in itself is huge. Math isn't your strongest subject, but you have never made below a B in the class. You are working hard and it is paying off. I always knew that you could do it. You are in 7th grade and have made the honor roll every 6 weeks. I am so proud of you. The school celebrated your success in an awards ceremony for the people who made the honor roll every 6 weeks. You should be so proud of your accomplishments. I know that dad, Papoo and I sure are. Papoo even took you out to dinner to celebrate.  I know that you think that I am hard on you sometimes. It isn't because I don't care. It is probably because I care too much. I know how incredibly smart and talented you are in all areas of your life. I will continue to motivate you and push you to do better because I know you have it in you to be 100% in all aspects of your life. So whenever you are down or you doubt yourself, think of the most important 100. So what does 100 mean?

1 l0ve y0u! (1x100, 2x50, 5x20, and 10x10)

Mom