Being Mark's Mother

Several days before Mother's Day, Mark presented me with a box made of Lego bricks.  I've never received a gift from Mark that didn't involve Legos.  Inside the box, there was a letter he'd written.

It included phrases like:

"Thanks for all the thing's you do for me." (yes, things with an apostrophe)

then:

"Im so happey your my mom."  (with no apostrophes)

He also included:

"Thank you for scoole.

Love

yore son Mark"

It made me happy.

On Saturday night, Mark came to me with a mournful, near tears look.  He said, "I don't have a gift for you for Mother's Day."

I reminded him of the letter he'd written.  "I loved it," I told him.

"It's not a good gift.  Braeden and Emma got you really good gifts."

I told him I thought it was a great gift.

Then he said, "My gift to you will be service.  I will do service for you on Mother's Day."

I told him that would be wonderful.

Sunday morning I asked him to empty the dishwasher.

He looked shocked.

"Mom, it's Sunday." All of the sudden Keep the Sabbath Day Holy was the most important commandment in Mark's book.

"I thought you wanted to do service for me," I said.

He looked cornered.

Braeden said, "I'll do it."  He meant for it to be a martyr tone.  He meant for Mark to learn a lesson.  He meant for Mark to realize the error of his ways and be willing to empty the dishwasher.

Mark said, "Braeden will do it."

And he left the room.

At church the primary kids got up to sing a song.  Mark said, "I don't know what they're singing."  But I nudged him up there anyway.  There are only a handful of Mother's Day songs and he's been going up there since he was three.  Surely he could wing it.

They started singing, "Mother, I love you..."

Mark looked at me and shrugged.

He mouthed, "I. Don't.  Know. The. Words."

Braeden and Emma were next to me, trying not to giggle (and not succeeding).  Braeden said, "Do you feel loved?"

Mark came back to me and snuggled into my side in his customary way. 



Whether or not his spelling is wobbly.

Whether or not he reneges on his offer to serve.

Whether or not he'll sing to me.

I love him.

Because he's Mark.

And he's really good at being Mark.