2008-11-11 - 9:12 a.m.

Well, sometimes something happens to make it all worth while. I received a letter from my 40 year old daughter last week, which she sent to all the family.

I'm not the only writer in my family. My son bluffed his way through his classes (with A's and B's) with his writing talents. All the kids have a flair, but I received this from my #2 daughter, Michelle, this morning:

"This morning I got up to the sound of my alarm clock, as I do every morning. I turned the thermostat up so it would be nice and warm when the kids got up, and went back to take my shower. A half hour later, I heard my childrens’ alarm clocks go off in succession. I went into their rooms and gently told them it was time to get up. I am always hoping they will be able to get themselves ready independently, but they still need some gentle nudging.

I blow dried my hair, pulled on some comfy clothes because I didn’t need to rush off to work this morning, and went downstairs. I had a little extra time to make some wholesome hot cereal for the kids. While I was heating the water, I turned on the oldies station on the radio in the living room to get some energy flowing in the house. When the oatmeal was done, I plopped a generous dollop into four bowls, added a small spoonful of brown sugar in the center, poured milk like a moat around the edges, and called the kids in for breakfast. We didn’t talk much, except to report what has been done, and what still needs to be done before leaving the house this morning.

With “Time to Go” approaching, I went out in the cold with my key and started the engine to warm up the car. Finally, we all got out of the house, backpacks and jackets piled up wherever they would fit, and drove to their schools. The oldies station was on again, I was singing, my nine-year-old was trying to sing along even though she didn’t know the words, and the other kids were looking out the windows at the passing cows, the mailboxes, the frost-encrusted fence rails.

My teenage son said, “This is weird music” when he heard the end of a disco song when I first turned on the radio. Then came Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Let ‘Em In,” and then Captain and Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together.” But it wasn’t until I found myself singing with Freddy Mercury to the Queen song “You’re My Best Friend” that it finally hit me…..I have become my dad"

She was thanking me ... one more time ... for being both mom and dad to her and her siblings while they grew up.

Yup! Makes it all worthwhile!

Aw, C'mon!
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