Michael

This morning I met my son Michael for the first time.

Everyone, especially Peter, was anxious for me to meet him. He was in school, so Peter took me over to the school and called for Michael to come out. I had no idea how it would feel, but actually, it was anticlimactic. Peter introduced me to him as his Mama. He was really, really shy. I gave him the soccer ball from my brother-in-law & family. And showed him the backpack and supplies I brought. He sat on my lap and I held him.

After a few minutes, Peter invited me to the back of the house where there is a large tree and a cool breeze. I held Michael and I gave him the legos. I showed him how to use them and which way they stick together and we played with them for a long time. In the mean time, I gave the kids around us peppermints. I didn't let them play with Michael's Legos and neither did he. After a while, he seemed tired and we put them away.

Peter had said that Michael had been "hot headed". I figured out quickly that he meant Michael had a fever. After Legos, he started shaking. His head was really warm. I scooped him up on my lap and rocked him. He cuddled into my chest and I began to sing to him. The first song was Jesus Love Me. I just held him and rocked him, kissed his head and sang. Peter walked by and asked if I had dust in my eyes, I really hadn't noticed the couple of tears. I had brought some children's Tylenol and I asked that he have some. Peter's wife gave him some. After a while, his fever seemed to be a little better and we shared a banana.

Then we get the Legos out again and built a really tall tower. Michael caught on to them really fast I was impressed with his creativity. And observation skills. He watched how I held the Legos to make sure they didn't fall apart while he was building and soon he was doing the same thing.

I asked some of the girls to "plate my hair. That got a lot of attention, with much laughing. At least it's cooler.

Then it was time to say good bye. I scooped up Michael, kissed him and hugged him and said I would be back. And, that I loved him. There was a little dust in my eyes as we left.