By Rick Kaempfer
Last week I read a great Mother's Day post from a fellow blogger at NWI Parent about Mother's Day. It was about what mothers really want for mother's day.
A few days after I read that piece, my wife Bridget took a few days off work. She didn't go anywhere special, didn't do anything special, just took the time to spend with the boys. I watched how much she loved the little routines that she misses when she goes to work--getting the boys ready for school, making lunches, doing homework, and hearing all about their days. Honestly, she didn't lose that smile on her face for three days in row.
Well last weekend was Mother's Day, and after reading the blog post and observing the way Bridget enjoyed the little things around the house, the boys and I decided to go a different route with her Mother's Day present. We didn't buy her a gift, and the boys didn't make her a gift. Instead, they gave her something she misses every day.
A musical performance.
I've heard the boys perform these songs a million times because they practice after school, but Bridget does not. So, they staged a Mother's Day recital for her. I was not allowed to attend--this was strictly for their mom.
Tommy even created an invitation.
Our extrovert, Sean, was the Master of Ceremonies. He introduced the performers before each song. He also took Bridget's breakfast order, and submitted it to the chef in the kitchen (me).
Of course I heard the whole show while I was making breakfast. I laughed at Sean's hilarious introductions ("Ladies and gentlemen..um..I mean lady...please welcome the the piano playing Johnny playing the piano"), and I cringed at a few of their musical gaffes because I had previously heard each of them perform those songs perfectly in the past, but I could also hear the smile in Bridget's appreciative voice from around the corner.
It was exactly what she wanted for Mother's Day.
And we got to see her beautiful smile for another whole day.
