Life is full of surprises. I like surprises but it's hard to surprise me. My analytic brain picks up on little things and I usually figure things out even when I don't want to. It does challenge me though to put a considerable amount of thought into the surprises I give to other people.
I have told Tommie that she does not need and can not have a cell phone until she starts Junior High. She's a really great kid, she rarely asked for one. But I would like her to have one in the event I ever become employed. I thought it would be a big surprise for her birthday and I put it in a huge box filled with peanuts and wrapped it. While she unwrapped it, I called it. I thought she'd know immediately what it was and go ballistic on the box but I forgot ring tones are not universal and I think she dared not to hope. With extreme puzzlement she dug and dug as I continued to call it. Daddy ruined my fun though and encouraged her to dump out the peanuts. When she finally found it, there was a look of sheer amazement on her face and I got to be the hero, if only for a minute. It's those brief minutes of appreciation and the few times when the kids actually make the right choices that give me a sense of gratification. Yeah! Here's to the tough times of parenting, it can be worth it!
