Smile For The Camera - The Gift, Something Old and Something New

The 19th Edition of Smile For The Camera - GIFTS

Although I am very young in this photo, I can clearly remember my thoughts when I found this shiny new red tricycle under the Christmas - Go Daddy Go! No stopping me now.

I have resisted writing about my sons and posting photos of them. Mostly to protect their privacy. But by far the greatest gift I have ever received was from my three stooges, er. . I mean sons.

I don't know about you, but my boys did not come with instructions or operator manuals. So yeah, it took me a few years to find a way to get them to adulthood alive. Through trial and error - ok alot of errors, I decided that less was more and raised my boys by trying to teach them the "Three C's" -

1. Common Sense

2. Courtesy

3. Compassion

My Eldest Son - Jacob

Of course most of the time I felt that whatever I said to them went in one ear and out the other. But I persevered and continued to tell them over and over phrases like:

"No, the kitty does not like to take his nap in the freezer"

"Please untie your brother from the ceiling fan"

"I do not care what your father told you I am the boss"

Ten or fifteen years go by, the boys have moved out and are on their own (except if you have a son named Kristopher then he has moved back in and your days of vacuuming naked are over).

My Middle Son - David

Er. . where was I? Oh yeah, so there I am minding my own business and my oldest says to me - "Remember Mom when you used to tell me over and over again that a way to capture a girl's heart was to remember to put the toilet seat down. Always. "

"Why, yes Jacob, I do remember telling you something along those lines. " And then . . . my son says those three little words that every mother longs to hear from her child -

"YOU WERE RIGHT"

Whoo Hoo!!!! This is a two-fer - I was right AND his brain retained that information from years ago and was able to apply it in a real life situation! David and Kristopher had epiphanies this year as well and shared them with me. Basically the same thing - I was right and that their brains were able to use what I taught them over the years and apply to their life now.

My Youngest Son - Kristopher

That is the great and most wondrous gift I have ever received .