Speaking of ...

I haven't yet and have been wanting to blog about Jacob ... but this is the perfect time to do so.


I often wonder in the future if Hayley will appreciate or hate all the pictures/blogs about Jacob. I mean .. they are 16 and 17. Chances of ending up together in the happily ever after part .. not likely. But I hope in the future there's not horrible break-up and she wishes to forget his name even existed. Because I've provided her PLENTY of public memories that will last forever.


But .. for now. In the present .. he's a big part of her life. And mine too. He's like another son. Here before school to pick my daughter up. Sometimes they even come home for lunch. Here after school and stays until it's time for bed. Of course on the weekends he's always hanging out with us. (I like that he likes my dinners. While Sean was gone it was hard to make a good dinner because the kids just didn't appreciate it. But I could always count on him to not only eat my dinners but like them as well ....) For now he's just part of the Wester household. Even leaving a permanent grease spot on the street outside our house from his ancient truck. (waitin' for the HOA on this one too)


My mom even loves this kid. Yes, he spends all the holidays breaking it up between our home and his own. He goes to my parent's house with us whenever we go. She actually hired him a few weeks ago to do odds and ends at her house. They've got a good relationship going on too.


He's really such a gem of a boy. I love him like one of my own.


Jacob has been really good for Hayley as well. She wasn't on the healthiest path last year. But then he stepped into her life. And it was a good thing. Changing her view on things that she was looking to get into trouble with. He encourages her to be good. To do her best and try her hardest. Her attitude changed. Her grades improved. Our relationship began to heal.


Jacob Millington is a fine boy. Jacob Millington also has Cystic Fibrosis. I've done a lot of research on it after this child came into our lives. CF is a chronic and genetic disease of the body's exocrine (mucus producing) glands. This primarily affects the respiratory system .. the digestive and the reproductive systems.


There is no cure.


The average life span of someone who has CF is between 28-30 years old.


This is the stark reality that Jacob lives with.


He takes tons of medications for this ... you should see the handful of pills he has to take before every meal. Just so his body can absorb HALF the nutrients from anything he eats. Every night he has to wear this vest that pulses against his chest to break up the mucus that forms.


He has two brothers and one sister. Because it's a genetic disease .. (both parents carry the recessive gene) another brother has it as well. I can't even imagine being that mother. I sometimes lay in bed when it's quiet and think about her .. and my heart aches. For her .. and I'm sure with her. She's one awesome .. tough lady.


On a positive note (well, there's lots of positives to this) ... Jacob has really done well with this. He's an avid hockey player .. which actually helps his lungs. He was hospitalized last winter ... but that's the only time it's happened since we've known him.


Another positive ... is his outlook on life. I love this kid. He's truly always smiling. He's excited about life ... about his possibilities. He's a senior this year and definitely has a plan. He knows what he wants to be and how to go about getting that. Very motivated kid.


Earlier this year (they've been dating for over a year now) Hayley left a note on the counter he had written to her (yeah ..I know .. I read it .. and maybe shouldn't have ...). Super sweet. It listed all the reasons why he loved her (as any 17 year old would). But the words at the bottom got all tangled in my heart strings. He was telling her that he'll always love her and he won't ever leave her. But the next words were ... "by choice" ... and that when he dies he wants her to know that she'll always have her own personal angel looking out for her.


That's real to him.


Both him and his brother got to participate in the Make a Wish foundation. Jacob went to Hawaii with his family and best friend. His brother ... to Disney World. That's kinda cool...


With all this being said ... it certainly makes sense why Hayley got so upset with the lesson on Sunday. He's such a cool kid ... and certainly worthy of my daughter. They are dating .. but he's also her best friend. And he isn't Mormon. And that's okay with me. God loves him just the way he is .. and so do we.

Here's a shout out to YOU - Jacob William Millington