In 1992, I was working at Sears in Houston and Jerry and I were expecting Keegan to arrive. We'd only been married a few months and already had moved 3 times and had a baby on the way. Talk about changes! Then, in June, Keegan was born. Keegan was an absolutely beautiful baby. Jerry always says it's because c-section babies don't go through so much trauma. Seriously, he was so pretty, and BIG! 9 pounds, 8 ounces of life-changing baby hurtling into my heart and changing me forever. I was "Mommy". I'd never felt so fiercely possessive of anything. I thought everyone who held him for even a few moments in those early days was stealing his childhood from me. I cried over anything and everything. My mom and I put him in EVERY outfit I had and she took picture after picture. Keegan Thomas Hooper had arrived. The first grandchild for my parents and the second one for Jerry's. "Keegan" is an Irish surname that means "fiery one". We picked it from a baby book and Keegan has lived up to the meaning! We chose "Thomas" for his middle name after my maternal grandfather and Jerry's best friend from the Army, Tom Jones. Keegan has always been smart, and loved all kinds of art from the very beginning. We gave him a little desk for his second birthday and he spent LOTS of time coloring and painting at that desk for about 4 years. He has grown up soooo fast and found his own path and, for that, I'm so proud. I was always a follower and avoided conflict. Keegan does what he wants and is not afraid to voice an unpopular opinion. I just know he will find wonderful things in his future and look forward to seeing all that he becomes. Happy New Year, Keegan. 16 years old... you are only just getting started!
