The Moments I Dare Not Forget...
Patrick:
I was looking through Patrick's school calendar the other day and noticed that 2nd Grade is having a Native American Food Tasting opposed to the Thanksgiving Feast that grades K & 1 will be having. 3rd grade is having something theme oriented as well and 4th grade isn't having anything at all. I was struck by a moment of sadness thinking of how as Patrick gets older, these countless Holiday parties that he started out having at 2 1/2 in Bible School are coming to an end. I lay awake at night sometimes thinking about the memories I don't want to forget. There was one time when I went to pick you up from pre-school. You came running toward me as if we had not seen each other for a long time, so excited and full of joy to see me. I went down on my knees as you ran into my arms. I cried and hugged you not wanting to ever let you go. There was a time when we were at church and I was in the kitchen helping prepare lunch. Instead of running around with the other kids, you asked another adult, "Mr. David, what can I do to help?". There are the many pictures you have drawn for us, your grandparents, cousins and Uncle Russell. The way you loved your yellow dump truck that you got for your 1st birthday. Racing that truck around our house daily and even taking it on vacation with us. The love you had for your trains and visiting the local depot when you were 2 and climbing aboard the open cars. Your love of seafood from an early age. Me asking you once at Costco when you were barely 3 if you wanted the white fish or the salmon and you pointing to the middle of the case and saying "No, crab!". The time when you asked your daddy what he was cooking and daddy said rice and you asked "Is it sticky rice?". From a very early age, you wanting to sit on the counter and watch your dad cook. Daily visits to the park during your toddler years. Me peeking up through the tube slide at you at the top. With the blue sky and sunshine behind you, squealing "Hi, Mommy!"with delight. Your absolute sweetness and love for your baby brother. Always lending me a helping hand, most times without me asking. The way you play with Nicholas, showing him how to climb at the park, helping him learn ride his tricycle and telling him to be careful. Just last night, watching you construct a tinker toy work of modern art complete with pulleys. I am enchanted with your creativity. Enjoying your recent hunger for Bible stories and watching your mind work as you begin to understand the complexities of God's word and magnitude of His love. Looking in your eyes when you were born and feeling a love like no other, so complete and whole and perfect and new. Hoping I can remember more of these moments and write them down before time slips away...
Nicholas:
Your infectious smile when you were a baby, always so happy to see me when I came to get you out of your crib. Your love of every toy that I hesitated saving because Patrick never played with (the Leap Frog toys, the shape sorters, puzzles and coloring books). Your complete opposite personality from your older brother. Loud. Spirited. Against the grain. The way you laugh and play games, living life as if it is one big party . Your wonderful manners as of late always saying "please", "thank you" and "welcome". Telling your daddy "I cry at Y", "Mommy not like me", "Patrick not nice" with your bottom lip sticking out. When you yelled at the library "Mommy hit me" the other day when I had merely tapped a pointed finger to your chest because you would not stop pushing back all of the library books at your level. Me being completely mortified. Listening to you sing "Tinkle, Tinkle Little Star". Proud of the fact that you have learned all of your shapes, colors, can count to 10 and are starting to learn your states. You have an affection for Utah and you love to say "Hoo-tah". The way you yell "No, Tigers!" every night as we head toward the stairs for bath time and you want to be carried because you are truly afraid that there are tigers on the stairs and we have no idea why. The way you always point out the moon and talk about how it is sleeping during the day. Your recent love of Little Einsteins and saying "Mommy, watch rocket". How every time we get in the car to go somewhere you say, "No, go home" with such insistence. Your admiration and adoration for your older brother.
I was looking through Patrick's school calendar the other day and noticed that 2nd Grade is having a Native American Food Tasting opposed to the Thanksgiving Feast that grades K & 1 will be having. 3rd grade is having something theme oriented as well and 4th grade isn't having anything at all. I was struck by a moment of sadness thinking of how as Patrick gets older, these countless Holiday parties that he started out having at 2 1/2 in Bible School are coming to an end. I lay awake at night sometimes thinking about the memories I don't want to forget. There was one time when I went to pick you up from pre-school. You came running toward me as if we had not seen each other for a long time, so excited and full of joy to see me. I went down on my knees as you ran into my arms. I cried and hugged you not wanting to ever let you go. There was a time when we were at church and I was in the kitchen helping prepare lunch. Instead of running around with the other kids, you asked another adult, "Mr. David, what can I do to help?". There are the many pictures you have drawn for us, your grandparents, cousins and Uncle Russell. The way you loved your yellow dump truck that you got for your 1st birthday. Racing that truck around our house daily and even taking it on vacation with us. The love you had for your trains and visiting the local depot when you were 2 and climbing aboard the open cars. Your love of seafood from an early age. Me asking you once at Costco when you were barely 3 if you wanted the white fish or the salmon and you pointing to the middle of the case and saying "No, crab!". The time when you asked your daddy what he was cooking and daddy said rice and you asked "Is it sticky rice?". From a very early age, you wanting to sit on the counter and watch your dad cook. Daily visits to the park during your toddler years. Me peeking up through the tube slide at you at the top. With the blue sky and sunshine behind you, squealing "Hi, Mommy!"with delight. Your absolute sweetness and love for your baby brother. Always lending me a helping hand, most times without me asking. The way you play with Nicholas, showing him how to climb at the park, helping him learn ride his tricycle and telling him to be careful. Just last night, watching you construct a tinker toy work of modern art complete with pulleys. I am enchanted with your creativity. Enjoying your recent hunger for Bible stories and watching your mind work as you begin to understand the complexities of God's word and magnitude of His love. Looking in your eyes when you were born and feeling a love like no other, so complete and whole and perfect and new. Hoping I can remember more of these moments and write them down before time slips away...
Nicholas:
Your infectious smile when you were a baby, always so happy to see me when I came to get you out of your crib. Your love of every toy that I hesitated saving because Patrick never played with (the Leap Frog toys, the shape sorters, puzzles and coloring books). Your complete opposite personality from your older brother. Loud. Spirited. Against the grain. The way you laugh and play games, living life as if it is one big party . Your wonderful manners as of late always saying "please", "thank you" and "welcome". Telling your daddy "I cry at Y", "Mommy not like me", "Patrick not nice" with your bottom lip sticking out. When you yelled at the library "Mommy hit me" the other day when I had merely tapped a pointed finger to your chest because you would not stop pushing back all of the library books at your level. Me being completely mortified. Listening to you sing "Tinkle, Tinkle Little Star". Proud of the fact that you have learned all of your shapes, colors, can count to 10 and are starting to learn your states. You have an affection for Utah and you love to say "Hoo-tah". The way you yell "No, Tigers!" every night as we head toward the stairs for bath time and you want to be carried because you are truly afraid that there are tigers on the stairs and we have no idea why. The way you always point out the moon and talk about how it is sleeping during the day. Your recent love of Little Einsteins and saying "Mommy, watch rocket". How every time we get in the car to go somewhere you say, "No, go home" with such insistence. Your admiration and adoration for your older brother.