Justin was coaching three classes the evening of his birthday so after he went to work I secretly hung a poster by the front door so that all of his students could wish him a happy birthday.
Nathan, Hyrum and I blew up two packages of balloons and filled his car while he was still coaching. He shoved them all into the back seat and left them there for nearly 2 weeks. When he got home we had even more balloons, a delicious cake and gifts for him.
His favorite cake of all time, German Chocolate. Really, it's all about the frosting. I could have handed him a bowl of the frosting with a spoon stuck in it instead of a candle and he would have been just as happy. He carefully blew out all but one candle . . . the girlfriend candle.
He was delighted with his very own animal cracker jar for his room, new socks and even a new sheet set for his bed. I loved his reaction to each one, showing true gratitude without any complaint or expectation of more. That made it even sweeter when we surprised him with a new memory foam mattress. He has had shoulder and hip pain from cheer, working out and coaching and I narrowed a big part of that down to his 19 year old bottom of the line mattress with coils sticking through it. When Bret walked into the family room with the mattress standing next to him, Justin walked over, hugged the mattress and let it free fall with him on top of it. It was such an adorable reaction. Then Erika tried it out and his only problem now will be keeping his pregnant sister out of his bed.
All of this talk of Justin graduating and choosing a university and taking the ACT and SAT sets me on the verge of tears. I do realize it's all over a year away but I also realize how fast it sneaks up on me with each kid. It seems that my buddy Justin started kindergarten just a few years ago.
The only time I cried when one of my kids started school was that first day that I took Justin to Kennedy Elementary. We had spent the last 2 years together while everyone else was in school. We shopped together, made fun lunches, took naps and walks, read stories and laughed. Leaving him at school left me all alone. I didn't have another child to go back home to. I treasure every day that my 11th grade son comes home for lunch or keeps me up until 1 a.m. talking. He is truly a gentleman and kind in every way. He still has lunch with me and we do laugh a lot. I really hope the next year at least feels like it goes by slowly so that I can soak up and memorize every day with him!
I came home late from a girl's night and found this note hanging in the doorway with a Hershey Kiss taped to it. That note directed me to the Valentine Mailbox that we had out to send love notes within the family for the month of February.
"I didn't really get to see you today so here's a "kiss" goodnight :D - Love Justin
P.S. Don't forget to check the mailbox"
"Mom! I love everything you do for our family! I extra extra love your home cooked meals so I figured the least I could do was deep clean your beautiful kitchen :D ♥ Justin"
Another time I came home from visiting teaching to find that I had missed him for lunch. Again, he left me a note . . . and a full heart and teary eyes.
"Well you weren't home when I got here for lunch so I didn't have the chance to hug you and say I love you so . . . love you! (hug) - Justin"
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