Yesterday I was standing in the kitchen with my boy, working together to get an appetizer prepared for his pre-prom gathering at a friend’s home. He stood near me chopping and asking for clarification, we laughed over an ingredient error that he purchased and that I tried to recover, in the interest of time, and we chatted as we worked. His music was playing loudly, something not uncommon in our home, where music is integral and it goes very well with cooking. The chef picks the tunes. He shared some songs I didn’t know and he sang along happily – and I had one of those moments of great peace. Happiness. A small moment in time that is a slice of heaven. I was in the kitchen with the boy I love best. Then my mind got whisked on the winds of time and change, thinking about how many moments I had shared with him in the kitchen over the last sixteen years.
Like this, where he sat in his booster chair playing happily as we chatted and I busied myself with something or other:
Or his favourite – hiding and seeking inside the one kitchen cupboard reserved for just that purpose!
Of course, sometimes as I created the food that would nurture us, he was creating masterpieces of another sort right nearby:
And there were so many happy, silly moments – like daddy decorating a cake, er…mouth, with icing. Our boy had to be part of that!!!
There were all the afternoons that I welcomed him as he came through the door and sat in the kitchen for his snack, while his sharing of the day poured forth and I honoured his experiences by listening. There were admonishments in the kitchen – about treating his sister with respect, giving his best effort with schoolwork, and all the other daily life lessons that make up the rhythm of the days spent growing and learning. And there were tears soothed in the kitchen – from hurt feelings, scraped knees, bumped head, or any other manner of life insult for which he might have needed comfort.
Oh, my boy, who has spent so many hours with me in the kitchen. How I have loved watching him grow. And how proud I was to see him yesterday all dressed for his prom and carrying with him, somewhere deep in the fibre of the man he is becoming, so much we learned together in the kitchen.
I hope we will spend many more lovely sharing moments together in whatever kitchens life has in store.
M
So very poignant and beautiful Mary. That made me tear up a bit just thinking about the future I have to come with my son. What an amazing family you have.
thanks Brandee. I’m glad it made you see the future a little – and realize how much all the things you do every day, that seem so mundane and thankless at times, will end up mattering later. I hope you enjoy your times in the kitchen with him just as much!
And how those times in the kitchen and elsewhere in your home has paid off today. As he grew, your love and guidance has resulted in this handsome, young man. I am proud to be his granny.
Sigh. In watching brief glimpses of a lifetime with your son, I saw how quickly those moments will fly by with mine. And now I’m bawling and wanting so desperately to grab those two boys out of their beds and hold them so tightly so that this moment freezes forever.
Oh Laura, you don’t want to freeze the moment – even if it feels like you do right now. Watching your kids grow up and become their own person is so wonderful. Letting them go is hard, but watching them become…that is just the best.
He’s such a gorgeous person.
And what a lucky one to have such insightful, present, caring parents. Thank you for sharing your beautiful words, Mary. I’m ready to burst with tears and love for my own two. What an incredible gift it is to parent!
I’m glad my words made you feel the pleasure of what it is to parent. It was quite a special milestone and quite took my breath away seeing the man he is becoming!
I love that you write it—-all the ‘in-between’ stuff (as I like to call it). Ya know, the ‘stuff’ with which life is truly made. I love that by writing it, we honor and give life its due thanks.
Gorgeous couple. No doubt as much on the inside as on the outside.
That is so right, the “in-between” stuff. It’s there where the moments that go into building lives together really is made. Thanks for reading!
This was such a pleasure to read this morning…Just beautiful….Such a handsome young man…and with support of such great parents…he is sure to do Amazing things…
Cheers
Thanks Dee, glad you enjoyed the read. We are pretty proud of him for sure.
Oh, for crying out loud, Mary. You need to post disclaimers when you write something that is going to make me cry!
Oops. Sorry.
Those moments are priceless!
They certainly are. And they sneak up on you when you weren’t even looking.
Oh beautifully said Mary!! There’s nothing more important than ‘those’ times together with your boys!! SO grateful my DS and I are SO close… but then again we’re great Mom’s! lol
High Five! YAY us!
So charming, sounds like you really cherished your moments!
I really do try to cherish the every day moments. Thanks for reading.
Beautiful. And dammit. Crying. I need to spend more time in the kitchen.
oops. Sorry for the tears, but I do highly recommend more time with your kids in the kitchen…
What a lovely story you’ve built together, such a fabulous young man you have raised!!!
I do my fair share of kitchen parenting, makes me think of what’s to come…
Aww, thanks Krista. I look forward to all the next chapters in our story and I look forward to yours too.
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Well, I never knew there was even such a thing as “re-blog” so Thanks!!
Hi Mary
You don’t know me, but i have been friends with your mum for a few years and she writes to me telling me all about her grandchildren.
What a lovely thing to read, Agatha sent it too me, and even though i don’t know you or your son, it was beautifully written and so heartfelt.
You must be very proud
Love Anjie…England
I certainly know OF you Anjie – Mom speaks very fondly of you. THanks for your nice comments. Glad you enjoyed the blog post.