Who can believe it is 4-4-2000??? I think I am aging as I type this. It was 10.....yes 10 years ago today that I gave birth to my first son. I remember leaving the house on that morning with a nostalgic feeling for my 18 month old daughter. Thinking she would never be "an only child again." It was weird, I remember feeling kinda sorry for her. I had to remind myself that majority of children never have the opportunity to be "an only child," as there can only be one first child in each family. Off to the hospital we went. A few hours later, Michael Patrick made his way into the world. I suddenly had what many people consider to be the perfect family......a daughter and a son. Tonight, 10 years later.....(where did that time go???) we recalled memories from when our children were born...and how they reacted at the birth of the other siblings. As many of you know, that total is 4 children. We laughed and talked...what a wonderful walk down memory lane it was. But that was not the real reason for my post here tonight. It is memories that are made years later, the we run the risk of forgetting or taking for granted as just the day to day routines of parenting.
Today for instance, I was so proud of Michael. The story really starts last night when I ask him what kind of treat he would like to take to school today for his class. He told me that he would like to take cupcakes to school. He told me that he wanted chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting. He paused a minute and said...."but mom, I will need you to make one vanilla cupcake with vanilla frosting, because Lawrence is not allow to have the other kind." He paused again and said, "Mom you can make just the vanilla kind.....that would be OK." I told him it would be no problem for me to make some of both so the kids could all have a choice, and Lawrence would not feel left out or singled out either......(Lawrence has life threatening allergies). This morning like the good mom.....the cup cakes were made to order!! And off to school I went with them. Now here is where the story gets good, in my opinion and I was so proud of Michael. It was about 1:00 this afternoon and the 4th grade class clapped their hands over getting a break and having cup cakes. The sang Happy Birthday to Michael. He was all smiles, ask his buddy to help him pass out the 28 cup cakes. I video taped the class being silly and having fun. Michael gave Lawrence his white cupcake with white frosting, without any fanfare. I seen the look on Lawrence's face.....he had this great big smile and said....."Oh, I get to have a cupcake!" That that was cool, but as Michael's mom, the story gets better. He had told me he needed 28 for the kids. I had taken 30 for the kids, one for Kevin and one for his teacher. Michael had given every child a cup cake including his brother Kevin. There were two left. He walked over and put the teachers on her desk and started towards his desk, with his cupcake, when suddenly he stopped. He turned back around, as if something had just dawned on him. And there she was.....the teachers aid. I was watching him from the other side of the room, and wondered how he would handle this observation of having one cupcake left, add to that picture, he and the teachers aide, neither having a cupcake and only a lone one left on the plate. Without hesitation, that child walked back to the aide's desk, took that one last cupcake and placed it on the desk. He turned away, SMILING I on the other hand wanted to cry, I was so proud of his unselfish behavior. I met him half way across the room and apologized that he had ran out of cupcakes and there was not one for him. He said, "It's OK Mom, I forgot that
Mrs. Peterson would be here today. Still smiling he walked over to his desk, and went about carrying on with his buddies. I told him there were a few extra's at home, and he could have one as soon as he got home. He simply replied, "Oh, OK." Had there not been any extra at home you can bet I would have been racing home to make more!!!! |
