I sat at MOPS last Monday evening with some my favorite ladies. There were thousands of thoughts running through my mind. School stuff, moving stuff, birthday stuff, weather stuff, gift stuff ... just lots of 'stuff'.
I was sharing with the group at my table that after having packed box after box of toys and books, I was really feeling like Mason needed a whole lot of 'nothing'. But what kind of birthday would that be?!
My neighbor Sara says - "Lindsay, you could always just give him 'time' with people. Troy would love to give him a certificate that says he can go fix an irrigation pivot with him ... because you know Mason knows how to fix them!"
Other ideas are thrown around at the table, and as I drove home that night, I was still very unsure of what to do. I had until Friday - right?!
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Tuesday was an ice day - no school, no leaving the house, nothing. It was a wonderful day just to 'be' at home with my boys and a fire in the fireplace. {but still no birthday idea set in stone}.
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Wednesday was a late start due to the ice & a morning of actually sitting down at the table to eat breakfast was appreciated by all of us. It was also the morning that I finally came up with a plan.
I sat down at the computer - sent out this email, and sighed. It was a gift I knew {or maybe just desperately hoped} he would love.
Hi all! Mason's birthday is quickly approaching ... FRIDAY! I know this is a bit last minute, but as I was sitting in the quiet house this morning looking at the boxes we've packed, I came up with a plan!
With it being such a busy time for us ... Christmas, moving, and interesting weather ... and the fact that Mason does not need any more toys - as he has filled at least 5 boxes :) ... here is my idea.
Please think of '5' things you like, know, appreciate ... about Mason.
Also think of 1 thing that you could do with him during the next year... his year of being '5'
Reply back to me with the 5 things about him and the activity you are willing to do with him either today or tomorrow ...
I'm making him his very own planner/notebook like Ian's ... for his 5th year ... and would love to have him be able to add some appointments :)
You do not have to set a date for the activity ... we'll work on that later. :)
Just get the info back to me, I'll type it up and add some clip art or something :) and make him certificates for activities. These will all go in a variety of envelopes for him to open Friday for his birthday.
Thank you so much and please know how much we love and appreciate all of you! I know this may take a little extra time, but it is a gift I think he will treasure!!The replies started coming in ... and each time that they would show up in my inbox, my heart jumped with excitement.
Excitement and joy because it's truly a gift to read what others love about your children.
And peace in my heart because the gift of time {during a not so busy time of the year} is priceless. It can't break, it doesn't go out of style, and it means everything that someone wants to spend some time with you!
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Thursday the replies kept coming & my parents arrived. They kept the boys, and Ian & I went to my classroom to get the planner put together. It was such a fun project for us as well. We came home late, decorated the kitchen table and went to bed. Our boy would be 5 in just a few short hours.
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Mason's planner has pockets filled with stickers, scratch paper, and a couple of gift cards to his favorite places. It has several pages of the lists of '5' things that others know/love/appreciate about him. There is a calendar for 2010 in the back, complete with birthdays of Mason's friends and family, and the certificates of time have been slipped into the pockets as he has opened them.
I wasn't totally sure if he'd get the whole thing, but he did ... and he has asked us to read the pages and certificates over and over again.
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Mason's 5th birthday was one of the best! It was filled with excitement every 30 minutes as he opened his cards.
We ate lunch at McDonalds, went bowling after school, had dinner at Aunt Bryn and Uncle Josh's house, and enjoyed cupcakes from Mimzy.
It was a birthday where a lot of his favorite people weren't there, but in all actuality, they were ... and still are ... because that planner and certificates go everywhere with him.
Thank you Sara for the idea. It's a GREAT one!!
Thank you friends and family ... your words, your gifts of time, and your love make our world a great place to be!
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