Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, April 9, 2021.

In Week 15 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Devin Mabry.

When we say "our boys", that means Chris, Devin and Roman. Though Chris and Roman are our only living biological children, the blessing of our extended family is that we get to have many children through nieces, nephews and little cousins. And, my nephew Devin is a son to me.

One of the things our entire family has eagerly awaited every year for the past 13 years, is Devin coming to spend the summer with us. He is the perfect middle child, 2 years older than our youngest and 2 years younger than our oldest. The result is shenanigans that always involve three guilty parties!

Devin has been a bridge for our family. His kindness, consideration, humility and fun personality bring out the best in everyone. Fun fact: our youngest, Roman, was nearly two years old and was not speaking. He was clearly intelligent but was so introverted that his mother and I considered having him tested for autism. But the first summer Devin spent with us, he became fast friends with Roman, coaxing him out of his shell and helping him develop socially. That summer, Devin had Roman talking and he's not been quiet since.

Every year, Devin is putting our family on something new. When he leaves, we always have some new word or phrase in our vocabulary. I hesitate to say he's a comedian because it implies that he does things to be funny but funny is just his natural state. It's hard not to smile when Devin is around. He's brought such joy to our lives.

The most wonderful part has been watching Devin grow. Underneath the mirth, there's a tumultuous undercurrent that runs deep. Behind his eyes, I see him wrestling with issues of the day and finding his way as a young black man. I am repeatedly impressed to see him struggle only to come out more resolved to do something to make things around him better. He's smart, humble, hardworking and eager to help. He's constantly thinking about the needs of those around him. In fact, for these last couple of years he's ditched us because he has a new baby sister and he wanted to be around for her.

I'm not mad. Though I'd steal him if I could, I'm glad he's continually being a blessing to those that need him most.

I'm grateful to have him in my life. Devin Mabry, I'm proud of you and I love you. #52WoG