Almost 20 Years

Tonight I am thankful for almost 20 years as a Mom, with your birthday coming up in exactly 1 week, Alex.  We talked tonight about how excited I was over Christmas 1996 as I waited to meet you.  I tried to enjoy presents on Christmas Day, but it was so distracting to think about the big event coming up.  On Dec. 26th, I went Christmas shopping to Boscov's with Grandma and Aunt Pam (I was quite large), visited my Uncle Bob in Kingston the following evening *, then we were all out to dinner on Dec. 28th when my water broke at the restaurant - yuk!  Anyway, you came along the next morning - a Sunday, during a church service Aunt Pam was playing at Central United Methodist.  Now you're busy with LCC classes, working at Gerrity's and just left for an outing with Taylor.

* Uncle Bob was a retired internist and alarmed at the prospect of my going into labor, meanwhile his wife Anne was enthusiastic about that idea since she was a retired obstetrics nurse !  Everything would have worked out fine regardless, since their house was almost across the street from Nesbitt Hospital where you were born.

And Robby, you came shopping with me to Gerrity's tonight to get holiday groceries.  It was so nice have that simple time together, and I looked at you hard to appreciate how special you are at age 14.  You're 5' 5" (as per a visit to Joy A yesterday) so definitely taller than me now.  Today you had a Mario Cart competition in Mr. Hyzinski's 8th grade social science class since it's the last day of school before Christmas vacation.  You brought in 2 cases of Snapple Ice Tea for the party.  Fun!

I am very, very lucky to have you both; raising you to be independent and thoughtful young men is by far the biggest accomplishments of my life.  I heard this song on Magic 93 as we drove home from the store, and its title sums up my feelings about the sweet experience of being a parent.