The Birthday Party

The smell of sweet baked cake fills the kitchen..Ok so my circle for my number 9 cake for my son looks like a volcano filled with crators...never claimed to be a baker and it goes down to the philosophy behind the words "It's the thought that counts!"..Ok so the cake will be devine when done but like an artist that paints it looks like a mess until the final layer comes on the finishing touches that create the masterpiece...So I am dreaming thats fine too...your masterpiece is yours and as long as you think it's one and your son thinks you are an awesome mom, does the rest even matter?
Life, I sit and think how blessed I am as I prepare for my sons birthday party.  Blessed that both his parents together can give him a wonderful party...BUT there is a part of me that feels we would have had love and joy without the number 9 cake, without the MASSIVE jumping castle to entertain 15 bubbly screaming kids, without the "Special birthday present".
Let's take it all away,just for a moment and appreciate life and what we have.
A mother sits, her heart aching because she has no money to spoil her child.  Her family lives a life where they are blessed to have a plate of food.  Toys are old boxes, home made inventions, a ball that has lasted years.  Is her son unhappy?  NO, why? Because they have LOVE.  They have love and happiness and they have each other.
The mom scrapes enough money together to bake a cake for her little boy.  They invite the neighbourhood kids for a play.  The games - no jumping castle...what now?  Hide and seek, tag, soccer, the boys are going to have such a great time.  The birthday cake...im so sorry my son, its plain vanilla, Mommy did not have enough money for icing or candles.  And the present, my son mommy is so sorry I can't afford a present but we can have your friends to play, I thought that would be really special.
The little boy turns to his mommy...."Mommy thank you so much!  i don't need a present, I have my friends and my family and that means more than a present that can't hug me or love me.
The jumping castle mom and the home choice games mom.....which child will be happier and which child will have more fun....I will tell you simply it is the child that feels the most LOVE in his world that will have the most fun.
Let us not forget the small things in life where money is not needed and an abundance of it can never give it...LOVE.  Keeping things simple, keeping things real...

thank you God for the precious gift of my son, I would have been happy being the home choice game mom and I know my son would have been just as happy because his world is surrounded with so much love.  Thank you that Joshua can have his jumping castle, that I can bake that volcano cake full of crators.

all my love Carma Jewell