My Gift


I’ve been trying to edit my Christmas pictures all morning. (I say “trying” because, did you know my kids are off for two weeks? Which means that they have two weeks home together. Which means, TWO WEEKS TO FIGHT EVERY FREAKING MINUTE OF EVERY FREAKING DAY!?)
I didn’t take very good pictures this year, and I missed a lot of great shots, but I was too busy actually participating in the events of the day to worry to much about the photos I was taking.
Now I’m wishing I had worried about it a little bit, because man, I didn’t get any shots of all my kids together. That kills me.
The good news is that the memories are permenantly inscribed in my memory forever.
Gabby shaking her head violently whilst saying “no no no no noooooooo” if you got NEAR her toys and then, throwing herself to the ground if you DARED touch the toys. Ethan saying “These aren’t the guys I wanted, BUT, I’m not going to complain because they were bought with love.”. Andrew’s smile when he opened the xbox he wasn’t sure he’d get. My niece walking around with a Barbie guitar strapped around her neck singing “Outrageous.”
But the greatest moment happened when my boys surprised me by not running to the living room to tear open their gifts. Instead, they carefully picked out my gifts, then Tony’s and told us that they wanted us to open our presents first.
I was blown away. Surely, they couldn’t be serious!
“No, sweeties, you guys go first, you’ve been waiting for this for a long time, we can wait, you go ahead!”
“No, mom, we really want you and dad to go first, you deserve to go first.” And they sat their patiently, completely excited to watch our faces as we opened the gifts they had thoughtfully picked out for us.
Oh, the pride and love that bursts from my heart for those boys. They truly are incredible.
Later on that day, my husband pulled me aside. “My boys, they are good boys, and they’re that way because of you, their mommy. You’re the one who’s taught them to be so kind, so patient and so loving and I really need to show more respect and affection to you, the mother of my children.”
Oh, how I cried. It was the sweetest, most meaningful thing my husband had ever said to me. Because those children? They are everything to me and for my husband to acknowledge that the love and care I’ve given to them all of these years has played a role in the beautiful creatures they’re shaping up to be, well, it touched me.
I don’t write about how unappreciated I feel most days, because, my husband, he is a good man. Not the most romantic man, not the most expressive man, but he IS a good man. However, his inability to express his feelings often leaves me feeling hurt, unloved and unappreciated. So, when he said those words to me and I knew he meant them, I couldn’t hold back the tears because I’ve needed to hear those words for a very long time. Those words? They were the Perfect Gift.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to fart.
(Sorry, it was all That Cheese. Too much Cheese gives me gas.)

28 thoughts on “My Gift

  1. Vickie

    X-Cuse me????
    You got an X-Box??? How? Where? Who do you know?
    Seriously, they were totally unobtainable out here in the East. Every time Best Buy got like 50 in, they were sold out in two seconds. I got my kid a Best Buy GC for when they do come in, and hopefully, they’ll be less expensive after Christmas!

  2. Sara

    Thanks for bringing on the tears, biznatch. I’m swimming in feta over here and am liking it. Merry New Year.

  3. Tammy

    That was beautiful! Those boys are the sweetest. I’d like to reserve one to marry my daughter, please.
    I took absolutely no pictures on Christmas Day, can you believe it? But like you, I was busy actually being in the moment.
    Best wishes to you and yours!

  4. Mary

    awwwwwwwwww it’s true though
    You have to find a game store that sells used games that they guarantee.
    You will save a fortune!
    my son loves his XBox
    He hasnt expressed any interest in the 360

  5. mona

    Yesss I love the look on Andrew with that Xbox wrapped around his arms. Priceless indeed! He’s very handsome, Ethan is too and Gabby? She’s supercute!

  6. Louise

    What a wonderful thing for your husband to say– I guess it’s true that “still waters run deep”. Also every word he said is true.
    How did Gabby react to the whole Christmas thing? Did she ‘get’ what was going on?

  7. Jessica

    isn’t it the greatest thing when you kids do something that makes you realize that you really are a great mom??!!
    and i am so moved by what tony said. see Y, you really are completely important to your family. they love you to peices!!

  8. Fiona

    wow Y…that man really comes through when you least expect it….beautiful wonderful sentiments *S*
    oh and you look FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE in your xmas pics…..your face is thinner!!!!
    love and hugs

  9. Debbie

    Good Lord, you even gave me gas with all that cheese!!
    Seriously, what an awesome thing to say. Lovely man, if he wasn’t married and I wasn’t married I’d be truckin’ to CA.

  10. DeeGee

    Oh my god, that was great. I was a little dewy-eyed from the (much deserved) sweetness, and then you throw in the fart comment. Tears start to roll then from laughing… Thanks, I needed that.

  11. jlybn123

    Just happened upon your blog…
    Thanks for getting rid of the tears forming in my eyes with the fart…that made me lol!
    Sounds like you truly had the best Christmas any mommy could ever ask for!

  12. Ms. Q

    Right on! That is the best. The saying “the best things in life aren’t things” is so true.
    My best present this year? Was my son calling me from Germany on Christmas. And not only did he call, he tracked me down and called me and talked to me for a long time. Damn, I miss that boy.

  13. halloweenlover

    That IS a great Christmas gift. And your boys sound amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a child do something like that. On Christmas, I might have cried right then and there.

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