October 23 – “Fireman Party”

I have one of those song tunes in my head that just won’t go away.  Ever had that happen?  Now, this one isn’t a show tune or a TV jingle or even a Christian song.  This is the one that Cailyn made up in the car on the way home.  She placed one of those flexible Frisbee things up to her forehead and began to sing, “I’m in the Ball High marching band.”  Very strange and totally off the wall behavior, I know.  I was quite proud.

Luke’s fireman birthday party went well.  lots of little totlets running around, aided by the fact that there was another party at the next table over.  Our little guys loved the plastic fire fighter helmets and fire prevention goodie bags graciously provided them by Trish from the Galveston Fire Department.  They also loved seeing Nathan’s real helmet.  Some were scared to even touch it.  Others even dared to try it on (As did a few adults, though they hoped no one was watching).  Most who did commented on just how heavy the thing is.  The cake was shaped just like a 3-D fire engine, complete with the number 3 on the side.  I sent Nathan a picture, since it looked so realistic.  His comment was that they should have put a number 1 instead (That’s the engine he works on).  All in all, it was an amazing reproduction, down to the fire dog (Dalmatian) cookies. 

My favorite event of the party came when Luke sidled up to the pile of presents and oh, so casually began removing the paper from one of the gift bags (The kind where you just put the present in and stuff paper around it so it can’t be seen from the outside).  Since it appeared that I was the only witness, I eased over and said to him, “Why don’t you wait just one more minute, just until Mommy gets over here to help you?”  He grudgingly agreed.  But then he leaned over toward me, glancing conspiratorially from right to left.  He flattened his hand as if to salute and placed it with fingers pointing straight up at the very center of his lips, an incredibly cute attempt to duplicate the adultish maneuver of hiding our mouth when we wish to share a secret.  And he whispered, “One day I want to have one of those right there.”  And son of a gun if he didn’t get one just like it.

The genius of having a three-year-old’s birthday party in a park is, aside from the easy cleanup, the kids wear themselves out playing outdoors and are pretty much ready for their afternoon naps.  The party was a success in more regards than just that one.  Nice job, Mama Christi.

Galatians 4:4-5 says, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.”

Father, thanks for the joy we saw in those little guys yesterday.  Help us adults remember what that was like.  Amen.