A Wooden Seat for Mother’s Day.

Sunday was Mother’s Day.  It is very difficult to surprise me and I think that is because, as a mother and of six that is testosterone dominated, I  am always on high alert.  I have learned if something seems a little out of the ordinary, it is. This makes me a well trained observer of the unseen. Therefore, surprising me is unusually difficult.  However, this year my children accomplished this goal.

After a nice family breakfast all children handed me a nicely wrapped package.  With a smile and a feeling of contentment, I opened the gift , and stared inquisivily and speechless at a brand new wooden toilet seat. I glanced over at my husband and began to see his frustration level rise with barely formed  words preparing to erupt.  He was about to emphatically express his feelings about their insensitivity to mothers day and question how they could make a mockery of it. Quickly the children got up and said that they were just joking and handed me my real gift that was apparently a piece of jewelry in a pretty little box . My husband became relieved as I opened the box and in the box there was a yellow, gently placed, piece of starburst candy. After some laughs, the kids did return with another gift that was a thoughtful, mothers day gift that I could share with the girls.

They think that the real gift was the elaborate nail kit, but the true gift was the thought they put into the series of gifts.  Apparently their challenge was finding the one thing that I could not possible respond with a quick thank you and an expression of how much I loved their thoughtfulness. They created and conquered this challenge with a wooden toilet seat.

So here I am, a mother on high alert trained over the years to observe the unseen and in a one moment my children surprised me with their awareness of me.  I never thought that a wooden toilet seat would warm my heart.  Now, if I could just find the receipt….

Best Wishes,

Ivy Lifton (Proud owner of a wooden toilet seat)