The Best Longest Day Ever

Dear Jack,

There is this thing called "Black Friday." It's the day after Thanksgiving and all of the stores have crazy sales and people all over the country go out and buy things. Back when I was little, my mother and my Aunt Jennie Sue would get up around four in the morning to go to the mall to stand outside of KB toys, which opened at 5AM and had really good deals. The way they talked, the line wrapped around the store and there was even a line to get into the store. How crazy is that?

Well, about the new millennium, stores decided that 5AM wasn't early enough and some store started opening at midnight. The outlet mall near us first did that about five or six years ago. This year, though, I noticed that apparently Black Friday is creeping further into Thursday and Garden Ridge and Michael's and some other stores were actually open on Thanksgiving Day.

Anyway, this year, I thought I would get out at midnight and go to the outlet mall. It's fun and there really are great deals to be had. Your dad thought it was all foolishness and said it wasn't worth it.

I left the house around eleven and didn't come home until four thirty in the morning.

I know your dad stirred when I got into bed around six, but he didn't really wake up until after seven. When he did, this is what he saw:

That would be a Kitchen Aide Profession Stand Mixer... this would be the receipt...

To put it in perspective, the same item is on sale on Amazon.com today, Black Friday, for $323.99, with a $50 rebate. It normally sells for $499.99.

Was it worth it, I asked your dad, for me to stay out all night shopping?

Yes!!! He said.

Then, after about four hours of sleep, I woke up and went out to Michael's (because I hadn't realized they were open on Thanksgiving Day because who would have thought) to use my 25% off everything coupon to get an absurd number of crafty things.

After Michael's, I got you and your sister dressed in the clothes that I stood in line at Children's Place for an hour to get (well, really I just got the red turtle neck and tights for your sister; the jumper oddly is a gift from one of my former students and then I got the button down shirt for you; the pants I already had and the sweater is from Osh Kosh at three thirty in the morning when for some reason, the lines were all gone). We took Christmas pictures -- and this one is not the official one. You guys were just so cute that I actually got many great pictures and got to chose the best of the best.

Then we went home and got undressed, at which point your sister announced her desire to dress up like Snow White and so I offered you your clown costume, the only part of which you wanted was the pants. Clown pants!

So, the day after Thanksgiving, dressed in half of your Halloween costume, you decorated a Christmas tree. Then it was bath and into new Christmas jammies and time for hot coco (or chocolate milk) and your father reading the Christmas story from the book of Luke.

And I stayed up long after you went to bed, typing up this letter for you, so you would know what a wonderful (and very, very long) day we had.

Love,
Mom

Thanksgiving

Dear Jack,

Thanksgiving has come and gone. What are we thankful for this year?

Mostly, I think our family. We spent the Thanksgiving week with so many people who love and care for us... Grandma, Gram, Grandpa, Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Nolen, Nana Roberts, Uncle Dale, Aunt Rachel, Aunt Suzanne, Uncle Dave, Aunt Dani, Uncle Mark, Nana Kathi, Uncle David Nolen, The Great Aunt Peggy, Uncle Ken, Aunt Jennie Sue, Uncle Fritz, and so many cousins: Will, Jamie, Jessica, Jonathan, all of the Langs, Nathan and Alana. And that list doesn't encompass all of the family who couldn't make it to Houston this visit. How blessed are we!

I loved watching you and your cousins on Thanksgiving Day, playing at The Great Aunt Peggy's house, spreading dirt everywhere, running amuck with sticks and stones and having a grand old time.

There is so much that God has given to our family and a lot of it I feel like comes to you through your dad and me: the house we live in, the cars we drive, the food we eat, the toys you play with, the places we go. But the things that really touch my heart are the ones He provides that I don't see my hand in at all: the extended family that loves you, the good health, the peaceful country we live in.

And I just want to take a moment, especially today, to be thankful for it all. For your sake and for mine.

Love,
Mom

A Year and Forever

Dear Jack,

This is your Uncle James.

I know that your little eighteen month old self cannot remember that one time you met him. I know that you don't really know who your uncle is just, yet. But I am determined to do things that help you understand who he was and what he meant to us.

So today, on the one year anniversary of his death, we went today to the cemetery where his body is laid to rest.

We wrote messages, on paper, on balloons, on our hearts.

We wrote them and then let them go.

Because this is all we have on earth.

But in heaven, in heaven sweet boy, you and your uncle have known each other forever.

Love,
Mom

A Day with Grandpa

Dear Jack,

On Sunday, while we were in Houston, we got to spend a very special day with your Grandpa, Uncle David Nolen, Aunt Rachel and cousins Will and Jamie.

Since we seem to always meet Grandpa at the zoo, it seemed like a good way to start the day.

You loved the fish, of course, but this visit, you were also very taken with the albino alligator. I don't know how long you stood and looked at him, ran away, and came back for more.

You and Jamie were great stroller buddies. This was a good thing as later in our visit, you may have (quite accidentally) dropped a five pound iron on her head.

The thing about your little cousin is that she loves, loves, loves her mama. You know that the whole time she was in Texas, only one person got a picture with that sweet girl without her crying. Yep, that would be me. Thanks for putting in a good word for me.

After the zoo (and just to set the record straight, two seconds after that picture, she did start crying and didn't stop until she got her mama back), we went to the 59 Diner for some lunch and then on to Bayou Bend.

The folks at the Houston Museum of Art were doing a Jack o' Lantern puppet show out front to welcome families for their family fun day. You and I got a big kick out of that. They got a big kick out of you.

We then walked down a sidewalk, across a very suspicious suspension bridge and onto the lawn of the Ima Hogg (not a joke there, son, look her up some day) mansion.

You and your sister had a grand time running around the grounds. I had a grand time taking pictures of you.

Your dad calls it one of the most interesting random things we've ever done in the Houston area. I think your grandpa called it "quality time."

It was nice to have all of that fun time with family, wasn't it?

Love,
Mom

Renaissance Fair

Dear Jack,

Your dad and I met at a late night D&D session.

It's true.

Your dad played this game called Dungeons and Dragons and I knew some of the guys he played with and one day I poked my head in to see what all of the fuss was about. On my way out, I made some crack about the testosterone level in the room and your dad said, "Girls can play, too, you know." And that was that.

So really, the idea that we had never been to something as deliciously nerdy and D&D-like as RenFair is amazing to me. Thinking it was high time we rectified that situation, we took you and your sister this year.

And because we are the nerdy folks that we are, you and your sister just happened to have princess and knight costume accessories in the closet.

I was glad that I thought to bring your breastplate because your sister is mighty handy with that short short/dagger. Don't worry, though, the fight was not the least bit one sided. When your sister decided to play that you had gotten her and fell to the ground in a grand dramatic gesture, you took up your dagger and gave her a final crack to the sternum. That'll show her, right?

I think your very favorite part of RenFair, though, was the same as mine.

Where else do people walk around with large racks of soft pretzels, just waiting to sell you one.

Or two.

Or four.

Love,
Mom

The Language of Jack

Dear Jack,

You are really starting to speak, sweet boy.

You say "mama" and "daddy" and "ball" and "more" and "no."

Those are your words.

I mean, you say other things, too...

But is "ruff ruff" a word?

Or "baaaa"?

Or "moooo"?

How about "room room" and "near-oom"? (Think car and airplane there.)

You speak in sound effects, and I love it.

Love,
Mom

18 Months Old

Dear Jack,

We celebrated your 18 month birthday today. The actual date is this coming Wednesday, but we always like to spend the day doing lots of fun things on half birthdays and there just isn't enough time on a work day.

We started at Monument for your favorite breakfast: pancakes! Then after breakfast, we let you and your sister run around outside the restaurant until it was time to go to church.

After church, we headed off to Barnes and Nobles to play at the train table (and shop for some books).

From Barnes and Nobles, it was off to the Children's Museum. You enjoyed playing with the lite bright pegs most of all.

But barbecuing with your dad and sister was a lot of fun, too.

As was looking at the fish.

The museum was pretty crowded, so we left after about an hour to go to Spaghetti Warehouse, where you ate two bowls of applesauce, some bread, and a lot of croutons. The best part of going to Spaghetti Warehouse, though, is the chance to ride the horse.

From Spaghetti Warehouse, we went to Lakeshore where you picked out a dump truck as your half birthday present.

Back home, there was only one way this day could end: sleepy baby and sleepy mama.

Happy half birthday, Jack!

Love,
Mom