I "think" many things...
I "feel" lots of stuff...
I "assume" a bunch...
But "know"? Not as many as I would like to say I do.
Here are a few things that I do know. For sure. No doubt. Absolutely. Without hesitation.
My parents love me.
I love my husband.
Macaroni and Cheese provides the perfect love-hate relationship for me.
The Wisconsin Badgers are the best college team EVER.
Autumn is my favorite season.
A cup of Starbuck's coffee (or hot chocolate in my case), just in the holding of it,
makes you feel cool and hip.
I have the best in-laws...ever.
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
The love I have for my children is mind boggling.
Big family get togethers are one of life's greatest gifts.
Chocolate has healing properties.
God loves me....and I love Him right back.
The color black is my wardrobe friend.
The Green Bay Packers were ROBBED by the replacement refs this past Monday night!
I am forgetful.
I am human.
I am a mess.
I am ok with it.
A reminder of the last few from the list came the other night. There was a rare...and much hoped for... moment in our house.
Our son, Zack, is a junior at college. He just lives about 20 minutes away but we try and treat it like he is hours away. We talk on the phone rarely, text a few times a week and see each other every once in awhile. Zack is 9 years older than our son Luke and 13 years older than Noah. These brothers love each other....but have not, because of the age gap, been very close.
I have longed for the little dudes to benefit greatly from a close relationship with their older brother....and vice versa. I personally, and with admitted bias, think that all my kids are pretty awesome and could learn a lot from each other.
A mom dreams this....hopes for this...and prays for this.
So back to the other night.....
Zack had come home for the evening, at the request of his dad to help with some heavy lifting. For the first time in over 2 years(other than Christmas and summer) he brought laundry home as well.....so he was here for awhile. Bonus! :)
The moment....
Luke is now playing trumpet. He was practicing in his room as Zack arrived. When he came down Zack talked to him about it and asked if he could see the trumpet. Luke brought it down and proceeded to teach his musically gifted brother about an instrument Zack knew nothing about. The pride on Luke's face was priceless. He knew more than his older brother about something. There was genuine interest on Zack's part and pumped up pride on Luke's part. Good stuff. As they talked, the subject of cleaning the trumpet came up.
Here is where the list comes in.....remember from above....
I am forgetful.
I am human.
I am a mess.
I am ok with it.
Luke told me......back in August....that he needed a trumpet cleaning kit. He has reminded me several HUNDRED times since then. Each time I say, "Oh sorry buddy, I will get it in the next few days." Then I forget. (insert eye roll directed from me toward me)
Luke told Zack about this and they gave me a hard time. I said "Luke, leave me a note and I will get it tomorrow". So...........what did they do? Zack got a whole pad of yellow post-it notes, started writing on them and sticking them EVERYWHERE.
Luke was laughing and giggling so much as he watched Zack do this. Luke has the best laugh. It is infectious and delightful. It is like music in our house. Then Luke joined in and wrote one himself. The photo above is the collection of some of them that I put on the refrigerator, together. On the fridge was the one in the center, "You Know." Yep, I sure do.
The two of them were bonding over their common fondness to make fun of me. They were getting close while ridiculing me. They were being brothers.
I loved it.
I can take any amount of ridicule if the end result is my kids having tight relationships with each other.
I can handle all the razzing they can dish out if it ends up with them being a team.
I can withstand all the teasing they can throw at me if it means they are friends.
I am ok with it.
So, on National Siblings Day..... I can now add one more thing to the list of things that I know without a doubt.......
I know that I love watching my children love each other.
(disclaimer~~~ the next day I asked my husband if he could get the cleaning kit for me because my daily list was too long! See...still a mess. )
May you know a few things for certain.
May you count your blessings that you have a few things.
May you know..........that loving others is one of your biggest blessings.
May you know.
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