you are my sunshine

"I have a present for you mom!" Joe-Henry was breathless with excitement coming up the hill today. "Don't even try to guess what it is, because I'm not going to tell you 'til we get to the house! Can you guess what it is?"

Picking him up at the bus stop is such a treat - he's always so happy to see me, and even on the days when he doesn't spill over with news of the serious business of kindergarten, holding his hand as we walk up the hill, just the feel of his warm little paw in mine fills my heart to overflowing.

I needed it today, too. I'm coming down with a cold, I had a fight with my husband, the kind that makes me feel like I've got a horrible hangover, and I'm behind on Christmas. And I just noticed from my bedroom window, that some animal has been crapping on my shed. A lot. Add that to our cat who cannot keep her runny poop in the litter box, and leaves presents for us on the carpeted hallway in the basement, and you get the picture. I was just feeling under it today, feeling slow and sorry for myself.

"Guess what it is?! Guess!" I thought maybe an art project, since he had red paint everywhere, but that wasn't it. "Hmmmm, is it an ornament? Did you make me an ornament at school?" When we got in the door, he raced to open his Spongebob backpack, and he took something small out of the bottom. "Close your eyes! Now open them!" In his hand was a tiny piece of chocolate, wrapped in blue foil. "Sydney passed out chocolate at school today, and I don't like chocolate but you do so I thought you could have it!" After I thanked him and took a nibble, I asked him if he was sure he didn't want to try it, just in case he might like it, so he did. Then we split it. And that was the best part, sharing a little morsel of sweetness with my son, who peeked in at me, weighed down as I was under the blanket of my mood, and coaxed me out into the blessing of the day.