The Realization

 

On this past Sunday I came to a great realization. We went to the hunting land to retrieve the camper. We'd taken Rhett's bike along so he could ride it there on the dirt roads. He had been telling me about riding his bike after school with his Daddy but I guess I had not been listening.

Don let Rhett out to get his bike so he could ride it back to the campsite ahead of us. Rhett did NOT want to ride in front of us for fear of being run over by the monster truck. Don assured him he would not run over him. We rode at a snail's pace behind a surprisingly skilled bike rider.

My baby can ride his bike! He rides like he has been doing it for years. Where have I been? While he was learning how to ride on the weekends, I have been inside on the computer. While he's been practicing with his Daddy after school, I have been at work. I am ashamed that I have missed this until Sunday.

I was so very proud of him. This photo I took of him was worth more than a million six dollars; more than all the crab legs in the sea. I printed the photo this week at Walmart. I had copies made for my mom and his other grandmother, Helen. It may be Helen's Mother's Day gift or her birthday gift in May. It may be Rhett's spring photo this year since I refuse to buy school pictures sight unseen when I can take much better one of him such as this one which means far more to me.

I took mom's photo to her. I told her, "My baby can ride his bike." She told me he was growing up on me. As I was leaving, she handed it to Daddy and asked him, "Do you want to see our baby."

So I am thankful we went to the woods to get the camper on Sunday afternoon now or else I would not have come to this realization that my baby is growing up on me.


I am thankful Don's test results came out clear. No operation at this time.

Last night Rhett did an imitation of Arnold, "The Terminator" that cracked us up. He was trying to open the bag inside the box of Cheez-it's, but could not. I said. "So you aren't Arnold." Then in Arnold's voice, he said, "No, but I am the Govenor of California." I made him do it for our friend Nancy who sits behind us at church last night. He didn't want to do it, but wasn't red or embarrassed. He finally did it for her and she cracked up too.

Later at home Don said it felt like Sunday night to him so he popped some popcorn as is his Sunday night ritual. As he was trying to open the popped bag in the kitchen, he pretended he couldn't and hollered for Arnold. Rhett was in the bathroom and didn't hear so I hollered, "Hey, Arnold!" Rhett hollered back "NO!" Then added and "The Hulk isn't here either!"

I am so thankful for my realization. I am so thankful for these precious moments that occur in our lives that make it complete.

Watching your son ride his bike for the 1st time: priceless.

I don't know what the theme for Thankful Thursday was this week, but I prefer doing my own anyway. This is what I wanted to write about since Sunday. This is what is in my journal. This is what my life is all about.

Now when I look at this picture, I will think "Where did my baby go?" He's still there. He still has to touch my hand before he leaves for school every morning as a reasurrance that I am still there.

Today I made another art discovery... for which I am thankful and shared in an email with my friends. It was more tape art. Take a piece of scotch tape (I used the old fashioned kind not the newer transparent kind.), attach it together so that the ends fold over each other to fit loosely around your finger, but leave the sticky side on the outside. This way you don't get any ink on your fingers when you touch it to your ink pad then your medium. It won't totally stick if you are using plain paper. You can carefully pull it off without any ink on your fingers. Of course you may not get a variety of shapes, but if you keep trying it occassionally, you might come up with a really different image on a different day. The image I created today was the shape of a point pointing in a direction or causing movement.

Now all of you are going to get your scotch tape out and try this, right? LOL Let me know what you come up with; let me see your masterpiece tape art. I'll make artists out of you yet! Move over Martha Stewart! This would be fun for the kids too. Have fun.

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...at Lynn's
http://unequalmarriage.typepad.com/my_weblog
Thankfully her choice was Random.