39 is Just a Number

 

Last night we celebrated my husband’s 39th birthday. After leaving school in the treacherous weather we were getting, we stopped to pick up a cake and joked about getting 39 individual candles to have Daddy blow out. We settled for just a “3” and a “9”. Silly us…we forgot the card.

Carson to the rescue. When we got home he made his own card for Daddy. After watching him work so diligently, I was curious what he wrote and asked if he would share it with me. He hesitated and seemed a little embarrassed about it but I could tell he really wanted me to see it. I couldn’t believe that my “little boy” would produce such a heart-warming card. It brought me to tears.

“When the perfect days are sunny and bright the most thing I like is to spend time with you.”

My husband and I talk about how Carson can whine about little things or antagonize his sister and laugh when she gets in trouble at times. And on long and hard work days those behaviors seem to be more noticeable.

The reality is that those behaviors are typical for a 6-year old who has a naughty (sometimes) 2 year old sister.

On days when he does something so sweet like the card he made for his Dad, I stop and think “Boy, I sure am lucky”. His first grade teacher politely reminds me that he is young for his age and these are things he is going to do. (Thanks Maureen) And she is right. On the one hand I don’t want him to whine when he doesn’t get his way or to help by not laughing at his sister when I put her in time out.

But these are the memories we will look back on when he is older and laugh about together. These are the stories we can share with his wife and his children. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Being a Mom is the best job in the world. And I am so glad they are my “story”.