Hey parents! Do you ever look at your kids and marvel at the fact that you actually created a fully functioning human being? I have to say that as the brothers get older, I have more and more of these moments. My boys are no longer mushy blobs… or nonsensical toddlers… or distracted children. They are rational people who are slowly choosing their own paths and becoming their own people. Wow. How did that happen?
I do an awful lot of worrying that I’m not doing this whole parenting thing right. I go through the motions; I nag, I teach, I scold, I praise, I stand up, I stand back, and I experiment, all in hopes that I’m not screwing my kids up too badly. Then I wonder if I have ANYTHING to do with how they turn out. Every now and then, I watch one of the brothers do something that had NOTHING to do with the genes or the lessons that Dave and I passed along, and it blows my mind.
In this instance, Noah had his debut performance as a solo artist at First Friday in Swarthmore. (Thank you Lizard of Oz for the guest appearance slot!) It was one of those sweet moments when I felt like shouting from the rooftops, “Hey!!! Look what I made!! From scratch!!” knowing full well that his father and I had little to do with talent or his willingness to perform in front of a crowd. But we did drive him there. And we sprung for pizza for the boys after the show.
When I was 11 years old, I was throwing back handsprings on the balance beam. Neither of my parents possessed this skill so I imagine they, too wondered how it found its way to me. I hope that they felt as proud of me as I do of my children today. And I hope Noah feels as happy as I did when I saw their faces in the crowd watching me.
In that spirit, I want to wish my Mom a Happy Birthday today. Thanks for everything you DID pass on to me. I am truly blessed to be able to share your DNA with my children, but even more blessed to share your love.
