“Momma I got you something.”
Grinning ear to ear as he placed the worn overused birthday gift bag in my hand.
It was with great caution that I emptied the contents of the bag into my lap because this child, our SURPRISE child, is full of surprises.
Like these:
He told me a couple of weeks back, “All kinds of girls are wantin’ to marry me momma.”
“That’s nice son, but you’re six and by the way God says marriage is one man and one woman. So you’ll have to prayerfully choose one. Sorry son. His rules not mine.”
“No momma, I’m going to go ahead and marry two…one to cook for me and one to feed me.”
Or how about this snippet he shared at the Cowboy’s family Christmas?
“I practice smiling in the mirror 15 minutes every day. After 15 minutes it gets boring.”
This would also be the child that has recently become obsessed with cologne because, “The girls love cologne momma.”
Heaven help me. Seriously, be near me Lord Jesus is on repeat in my head.
He has yet to close all four drawers of his dresser on any given day for his whole entire life.
He loves to wear “sharp boots” (also known as pointed toe boots) and all too often puts dirty close back in his drawers (underwear included)
He loves animals, is a natural around them and would absolutely let any one or all of our barnyard critters sleep in his bedroom with him if we gave him the okay.
The child lead a goat through my living room this summer and told me after the fact, “Momma, Sweet Pea (the goat) wasn’t the least bit scared to go up the front porch steps and through our living room. She’s brave momma.”
He loves dragons and puppies.
He keeps us laughing and on our knees.
Which brings me back to Christmas morning and the gift.
It was through big fat tears with a heart so full I felt as though I could have burst that I mustered, “thank you son.”
The gift, my childhood Bible he had gathered from my bookshelf, a necklace he had received from church and a piece of my favorite candy from our town Christmas parade.
A bigger smile would not have fit on his face or mine as he hugged me and said, “Merry Christmas momma.
And then if that weren’t enough to erase all of the things he has ever done that’s made me want to choke him out…he reached for another gift.
“Daddy this one’s for you.”
Smiles all around as the cowboy emptied his overused, worn baby gift bag into his lap where fell a flashlight we’ve had for years, a painted letter “J” and one of Jake’s toy Woody dolls.
“I got you Woody because he matches your coffee cup daddy and your name starts with J and you always need a flashlight, right daddy?”
“Right son.”
That moments made this the Merriest Christmas ever as far as I’m concerned.
Our regifts from our son prompted me to think about how very many of our best gifts are right under our nose.
We look many of most treasured in the eye every day or walk past them in our places and offer them at best, a glance.
I’m notorious for obsessing over things I want to fix from quirky behaviors in my kids or husband to things as trivial as home repairs verses seeing the little moments that add up to make grand memories.
Jake’s gifts to us reminded me to be more grateful for all I do have.
Yes, I know that sounds so cliché and it would be if it weren’t so true.
Thoughtful kids and a loyal husband are at the top of my BEST GIFTS this Christmas.
How about you? Do you regift? lol
No really, what are you most thankful for this holiday season?
Share your blessings with us in the comment section.
Love y’all and am so very grateful for the community we have here at Blessings Beyond the Barnyard because of YOU…
I am thankful for godly friends who pray for me and my Family. Who will call me out when I need it and who aren’t perfect but love God with all their heart.