–Rob Thomas, “These Small Hours”Our lives are made
In these small hours
These little wonders,
These twists and turns of fate
Time falls away,
But these small hours,
These small hours still remain.
Last night as I tucked him in bed, he hugged me long and hard. “Mom, having you here is what makes my birthday the best day ever.” I whispered my love for him thickly–this boy, this beautiful boy with a heart of gold.
I could tell it had snowed. There was a stillness settled around our house, so I checked to see and found a two-hour delay for the boys’ school. Rolling back over, I reveled in the quiet. Then I heard his steps–my Bear, coming to me. He leaned his head on my shoulder, “Mommy? I just don’t feel good.” As I turned, I pulled him to me. “My throat hurts.” I immediately felt the fevered head and knew I had a sick boy.
It was late when I checked on him, sitting on the edge of his bed and smoothing back freshly cut hair as he slept. I sat quietly next to him. Remembering.
It was seven years ago on New Year’s Day when the labor began late in the day. I wasn’t even sure if they were contractions because they were painless; in fact, they had to do a stress test to determine if it was really contractions or not. Two minutes apart but no pain. Other than a quick drop in blood pressure, his arrival was seamless, and within hours I was holding my Bear in my arms. Completely, beautifully, and utterly in love.
Every morning while they eat their breakfast, I read to my children. Today found us reading the story of the fall of Jericho in the Old Testament. It always amazes me how wide-eyed they become even though they know the story by heart. Bear laughs at the absurdity of marching around a city to make its walls fall down, but he always claps when they do. Afterward, I pressed the boys on what they learned.
Today’s life lessons from Asher?
Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.
~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote, 1605
He went to school this morning looking like this.
The Tooth Fairy? Well, she had to ask Asher what the going rate for teeth is in our house, because as he put it, “Mom, you get chemo brain a lot, don’t you?” Then the Tooth Fairy had to raid Bella’s piggy bank for 2 bucks because all she had was a ten. (Is there any magic left in this house?!)
Yep, two teeth in one day. His first ones.