The Monkey Barrel

Archive for January, 2006

It’s hard to believe that six years ago today I was laying in a hospital bed in a mix of agony and elation waiting to meet our first born son. I’ll never forget a moment of that day and six years later it is as fresh in my mind as though it had happened yesterday. I suppose giving birth is a memory that will never fade. I waited my whole life to be his mom, but I never dreamed that it would be this amazing. Happy birthday my boy, you will always be our first great reminder of how much God must love us, because he gave us the amazing gift of you, our son. May you always know the depth of our love for you, but greater still the love of the God who brought you to us.

I’ve been watching all these adds for Valentines Day and the upcoming contests that people are holding and essays or e-mails that they’re asking to be written about loved one and what they mean or what love means and I started to compose in my head what love means to me and I thought I should write it down and maybe share it with you all.

Love is stretched out in jammies upstairs
Splayed from end to end
A tangle of leg, arms, elbows, and knees
And sleepy prayers

Love is wrapped in a diaper
Singing the dadda song
Chubby buns humped up in the air
Rubbing sleep into his eyes

Love is driving through traffic
Hummin a tune, consulting a palm pilot
Unlocking the door, sneaking upstairs
Smooching goodnights

Love is the phone ringing endlessly
Silly conversations, worries and triumphs
Jingling in homes
From here to Ohio

Love is old and young
Sewn, cooked, written, and painted
Laughing and crying
Friends, family…….us

I am five
I am tall and strong
I can run like Dash
and crawl like Spiderman
I ride my bike without training wheels
and do tricks
And draw pictures of ocean scenes
and cut my own strawberries
I can use a knife
a butterknife of course
And scissors
and markers
I am tenacious, rambunctious,
audacious
And a lot of other
‘iouses
I am four feet tall
my feet are huge
My eyes are brown
my fingers are long
I am a big brother
a very good helper
An amazing artist
and I’m learning to read
I follow directions
use my listening ears
And put my things away on my own
well mostly
I have an amazing memory
I remember lots of things I’m not supposed to repeat
They make grown ups laugh
and mommy mad
I have a big, sunny smile
I’m full of laughs and giggles
I am happy
I am John, and I am five