Tuesday, May 01, 2007

13 years of Sponging Left

"Mommy?"

"yes my love?"

"How many years until I can be in astronaut school?"

"Hmm, well, you're in PreK right now, and then you'll be in kindergarten next year, 1st grade comes after that..2ND grade....."

I continued with the Grades up until 12Th grade, where my son, Jackson helped continue the counting...


"and then after 12Th grade, I'll be in 13Th grade and 14Th grade and 15Th grade, and 16Th grade and then, astronaut school?"

"well, you should probably continue a few more years in college-"

"you mean, go to 17Th grade?" He asked in complete awe.

"Yes, you should try to reach the highest goal that is available, from an education standpoint," I explain to him. "That way, you'll have had more time to learn more things to prepare you for astronaut school."

"Mommy, I don't want to be anything but be in space." -Jackson


"Sounds like a wonderful plan," I say to him. "But in order to get there, you have to learn different things first, to get you ready for astronaut school." "I think you'd be a terrific astronaut."

"I want to be like Neil Armstrong, and the 12 other astronauts, I want to find new planets." -Jackson

"I want to see Eagle Nebula and fly shuttles up to the moon." -Jackson

"I think you will be the most incredible astronaut the world has ever seen," I tell him.

"really?????" -Jackson

"yes, really, you can be whatever you want my love, and if you want to go study in space, than you should do it."

All of this as we lay together snuggling in bigdoggs and my King bed. (which suddenly seemed very small with both of my sons laying on either side of me. Sullivan at this point snoring, and dreaming in color, as he surrenders to the sweetness only one can get in candy planet) (and the only reason I know that he dreamt about it, is because he told me so this morning)-

So here we are, mom and eldest son, gazing up out our bedroom window, at the moon. I've never seen the moon that bright before. We didn't even need the night light out in the hallway to ease the bedbug fears of my little ones.

It was glorifying to lay there and dream with my son. To dream and chitchat about his future. The opportunities for him...


He interrupts my peaceful thoughts:

"Mommy, how many years until I'll be out of the 12Th grade and learning at the college before astronaut school?"


"Well, Jackson lets do the math together, okay?" "You're 5years old right now, and generally people go off to college when they're 18years old. Which means, that you have 13 years to go until you're in college."

"Only 13 years left?" He replies eagerly.


Crap, I think to myself, only 13 years left until my son (If God blesses me so) leaves our home and goes off to college. 13 years until he begins his own life as an adult.

Here he is snuggling up to me in bed, watching the moon, holding onto every word I say, absorbing knowledge like a sponge picks up spilled milk.

It surprised me that he didn't think 13 years was a long way off. Most children think next week is ages away. But apparently to him, 13years is just around the corner.

He's absolutely right. It is just around the corner and it's wonderful and beautiful and bittersweet all in one.

I hope he goes for his present dream and becomes that astronaut. I will encourage whatever he wishes for. I will teach the values of respect and love from examples, actions, and lastly, words.

It's times like these that I hold onto. I sponge up and absorb and store for when he does someday BLAST OFF into the world, on his own, my grown up son..WOW!

It all makes sense what my parents use to say. You never understand the true quality of their love, until you love your own little one. Until they grow up before you, and realize how short time really is.


Welcome To Crustybeef~
I've got 13 years to prep him for the real world, and I'm loving every minute of it-even when he says naughty words like "buttcrack" and "Boogerloogers!"

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

that is so cute.....he is so awesome..

Anonymous said...

What an amazing little boy. I LOVE reading your blog. The honesty and openness you give to us readers is wonderful. Makes me want to find someone, fall in love,have my husband, love marriage, love childraising and so forth.
I look forward to reading more of your blog. I definitely will be telling my other blogging world friends about you. Youre so talented one of the better ones I've seen.

Hedy said...

Crusty! This was so touching, so heartwarming, it made me cry. Love it. Thank you.

Baleboosteh said...

Hi Crusty!

Beautiful post. It is children like Jackson that grow up and fulfill their dreams.
Very cute :D

CRUSTY MOM-E said...

Thank you very much anon, Hedy, Baleh and singlewithmeows...
it is a blast and gutwrenching and just fullfilling to see the happiness of dreams yet tackled in your own childrens eyes.
Thanks for reading!!
Always,
Crusty