Thursday, September 1, 2011

Everlasting Light

Every once in a while my children do something that truly surprises me...

I mean, I pretty much know what to expect from them: Ke$ha Barbie is going to try my patience, push my buttons, argue with me like a $500/hour lawyer, and often leave me convinced that I am an idiot. I know this because I am pretty damn sure I did the same thing to my dear mother.

And my son...I know what to expect from The Cutest Boy in the World (TCBITW): he will be sweet, kind, avoid conflict, get his feelings hurt pretty easily, and is pretty level headed. Oh, and he likes to hit things...a lot...

So on Monday when Ke$ha Barbie came downstairs and produced her 8th grade tie for me to see, well, I was flabbergasted.

Because you see, I told her a little over 3 years ago to keep that tie for her brother so that she could present him with it at HIS 8th grade tie ceremony.

(A little explanation here...at my children's school, which is a K-8, the children wear a "dress uniform" on Mondays which consists of pants (or skirt for girls), oxford shirt, and a tie...and a jacket for middle school. The children all wear the same striped tie EXCEPT for the 8th graders who get to wear a special tie...so they have a ceremony where they receive their special ties...and if you have a family member who went to the school that family member presents the tie to you...otherwise it is the headmaster)

I mean, that tie survived 2 floods, a hurricane, a remodel, and the disaster that we all lovingly call her bedroom but I really think it should be declared a toxic waste dump.

She rarely leaves me speechless...in a good way that is...and this time I was.

I just looked at her, started to cry, and told her I loved her...and I loved her for doing that for her brother.

So we go to school and bless her heart she has an AP Biology test 3rd period and if that ceremony lasts very long she is going to not get back to high school in time to take it and be in some trouble...but the ceremony got underway and I cried as I watched my son walk up to the stage as an 8th grader. When Ke$ha Barbie started at that school in pre-school I was barely pregnant with TCBITW and I spent most of my time in the carpool line trying not to vomit from morning sickness. Very often the teacher would open the car door to get Ke$ha Barbie out and I would hold up my hand (in the international sign of "please don't talk to me") because I feared I was going to upchuck whatever I had managed to force down myself for breakfast. So I have been driving to that school for 14 years now...

When it was time for TCBITW to receive his tie Ke$ha Barbie climbed up the steps to the stage, showed the headmaster she had her own tie, and she proudly put it on his neck. And he beamed at his sister as she did it...a quick hug and she was gone...to take that AP Bio test...

I can honestly say it was one of the proudest moments of my life...because it was their moment. It was not mine...I just watched it...but they had that very special moment where she got to show him how much she loved and cared about him even if all she did was put a tie around his neck...

But it was magic....

Because....

she saved that tie through all of the flooding, remodeling, and a damn hurricane...
and they used to fight like cats and dogs and now they get along beautifully...
and they both were lovely lights up there, at least to me...
and she took time to do something that meant so much to her brother...
and he got his tie from the one person in the world he loves without prejudice or judgement..
and it is a moment that they will never forget...even if they don't know that yet...

My children often make me very proud, but on Monday they made my heart burst.

They light up my world...

They are my everlasting lights...

Inspiration Song: "Everlasting Light" by the Black Keys

Bye Darlings...love whatever lights up your world...

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