Did You Know I Had A Twin?

Yep, a twin!  Well, at least according to the lady in the grocery store, the one in the doctor's office, the man on the street, my hubby, and.....you get my drift!  My twin is many years younger than me....and at least a foot shorter than me.  My twin.....well.....he's none other than my 10 year old son, MJ.

Today was MJ's bday and we had a ball!  This year, I took a queue from my Pastor and his sweet wife who use Christmas as a time to celebrate Christ and serving others instead of slathering their kids with gifts.  Instead, they make their kids' birthdays a really big deal.  We honestly had done just the opposite in years past.  Christmas was 'their' big deal day more so in terms of gifts, not necessarily in making memories.  Birthdays were cool but just not really thoughtful.  By making this switch, in the words of both boys (the other's bday was last week), "This was the best birthday ever!"

Early this morning....about 5:30am, we decorated the outside of MJ's bedroom door with red and black streamers serving as curtains as you enter the room.  We got things shaking by waking him up singing Happy Birthday, followed by 3 surprise cans of silly string and 3 of those large punching balloon balls!  Fun!!!!  He received his bday gift which he went WILD over and then it was off to school.  The boy was all smiles.

I picked him right up after school....no aftercare!  He got some 1-1 time with Mom at McDonald's while big brother remained at the aftercare facility.  We had so much fun talking and posing for the camera!  Afterwards, we came back home and then picked up his brother and other friends around 4pm and the impromptu party with a few school friends was on from there....yep, on a weekday!  I would have NEVER done this before.  They played ball in the backyard, ate pizza, cupcakes, ice cream cake, and drank root beer and tea.  Fun times!

I so enjoyed planning their birthdays this year.  They were a lot less stressful but jam-packed with memories that will last a lifetime.  I savor these moments because I really believe Trace Adkins gave the best advice in his song below..."You're gonna miss this.  You're gonna want this back. You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast.  These are some good times so take a good look around.  You may not know it now but you're gonna miss this." 

As bad as I want baby girl here right now, I can't rush these present days with "C" and "MJ" because each day they're growing into amazing young men.  I'm such a blessed mama!