Dear Mom, Your Grandson is Turning 16

Dear Mom,

It is Friday night, I am sitting at home alone thinking about you.  Your favorite person on planet Earth is turning 16 on Sunday.  I think back to the days of the two of you baking pies together for Thanksgiving when I specifically said we only needed one pie, and the two of you made four pies.  Seriously? 

I think of you taking him back and forth to kindergarten, and you volunteering in his computer lab at school.  All of the elementary teachers adored you.  Our neighbors did too.  You were above all of the PTA mom politics; you were truly there for Brainy Bird, and to help at his school in any way that you could.  I remember that he wanted to ride the bus on the days that Gabby rode the bus, and the only person that got along with the bus driver was you.

I try not to relive the memories of your last days.  I know that is not what you want, but I remember being afraid that you would pass away before Brainy Bird’s 6th birthday.  I remember you watching the Super Bowl with me in your room in hospice care.  You never shared or understood my love for football, but we had a beautiful evening together.  I still recall our conversation that night, and I did everything later in life that I promised you that I would do.  I remember I cried when Kurt Warner didn’t win one more, and I remember that you comforted me.  Should it not have been the other way around?

Your grandson is growing into an amazing man.  Everyone talks about his test scores and off the charts intelligence.  I guess that he got that from my dad or his dad.  Let’s be honest, Brainy Bird did not get that from me or you.  He got things that are way more important than book smarts from you.  Despite me spoiling him rotten, he absolutely appreciates the value of a dollar, and he passed that on to Little Chirp.  Brainy Bird has a high emotional intelligence.  He has no need to feel that he is better than anyone else, and he always sees the good in others.  He has no use for popularity or being exclusive.   Quite the opposite, he values the uniqueness of people, their kindness and their ideas.

Brainy Bird loves to read.  I remember the endless hours that the two of you spent on the couch with you reading chapter books to him.  I wish that you could have been here the day that he sat down and read, “Lucy on the Loose” to Little Chirp.

Sunday will be a special day.  I am going to make shrimp creole in your honor for the Super Bowl party that I am going to.  Let’s hope that I do not screw it up.  Once I am done cooking, I am going to somehow get Brainy Bird’s new car to the Woodlands where a group of us are meeting for brunch to celebrate his 16th birthday. 

I wish that you could join us for brunch.  I wish that you could meet Pager and Dog Mom.  You would fit right in with that whole crew.  Of course, Sunshine is invited too.  It is Shane’s birthday too on Sunday.  Crazy, Shane and Sunshine are now empty-nesters!  Their son is thinking about following in our computer nerd footsteps :).  Their beautiful daughter’s passion is theatre. 

You would be so impressed with Brainy Bird’s best friend and his family.  We are blessed to have them.  I can imagine that the father of Brainy Bird’s best friend and Dad could have sat and talked four hours.  In my head, I can hear dad making little cracks about the Air Force.  Of course, only in jest, but…Semper Fi.

After we eat brunch we are going to surprise your grandson with his first car.  Brunch by the way is a huge thing now.  I remember when we did a “Baby’s 1st Birthday Brunch” for Brainy Bird in 2004 and it seems pretentious.  I remember Dad’s brothers sending your first born on a beer run at 10 AM on Saturday morning, snubbing our mimosas.  I loved that day.  Fast forward 15 years, after brunch, now a social norm, we are going to have the valet pull up in Brainy Bird’s new car.  Little Chirp has already seen it.  Little Chirp says, “It is sic”.  “Sic” is what kids say these days when something is super cool.

After brunch and the big surprise of a car, the boys are headed back to their Dad’s house, and then us grown ups are going to the Super Bowl party.  One of my favorite neighbors owns a sports bar.  That is where the party will be.  I feel like you belong here.  There are so many people that I would love to introduce you to.  Remember Tommy and Nancy?  They live in my new neighborhood.  They will be at the Super Bowl party too.  You always adored them.  I still keep up with the folks from Thermon , your childhood friend Nancy and the Herbold’s on Facebook.  I am so proud of your grand nieces and nephews.  I also still keep up with Linda.  Little Chirp adores her and her cats.  I remember how much you loved the company of George and Linda.  I miss the days of us gathered around the breakfast table eating home cooked food, drinking wine and “shooting the sh*t” as folks say back home.  I suppose George has filled you in on a lot since he joined you up there.  I miss him terribly, but I am happy that he finally got to meet Dad.

It breaks my heart that you did not have more time here with your grandsons.  By the way, there are now three.  Brainy Bird and Little Chirp got their first, first cousin for Christmas.  Baby Bird :).  He is beautiful.  I have just decided that his blog name will be Huey. 

I could spend the rest of the evening and all day tomorrow and all day the next telling you about all of the amazing things that I wish that you were here for, but I know that is not what you want.  So, I am going to sign off for tonight.  I am going to appreciate and embrace every minute of this special weekend.  I am going to be happy, but I am also going to be thinking about how much I love you and how much I miss you.  Always know that you left an important and lasting impression on Brainy Bird in the short time that you had with him.  In the end, the only thing that we leave behind that matters is our impression on the next generations. 

I love you always.

Love,

Me