Missing My Boy

So, yesterday was Alex’s 6 month mark.  Alex is serving a mission for our church. He is serving in the U.S., which he and I both appreciated. But yesterday, I was feeling a bit tender hearted about the whole 6 month thing, when Alex’s best friend, Tony, stopped by with another one of their friends. I cut Tony’s hair, and he eats my food, and gives me hugs. I cut his hair, and got my hug. Then, I welled. To the uniniated, ‘welled’ is the sudden, uprising of fluid in your eyeballs. Welling is often accompanied by the aforementined fluid overflowing onto your cheeks, ruining your mascara. That’s what happened. I hugged that big hairy kid and suddenly wanted my big hairy kid. So I hugged him again, and then hugged the friend. (The friend looked surprised…probably won’t come back with Tony again….) Hey! I’m a hugger. Especially a hugger of kids large and small.

The point is, my kid is 1/4 of the way through this mission and I haven’t cried since Christmas! That’s real progress in my opinion! Of course, Mother’s Day is coming (he gets to call) and then his 20th birthday….I can see welling on the horizon.

Let me be clear. I do not miss Heavy Metal music. I do not miss worrying about him getting a job or getting someone pregnant, or being out at all hours or wrecking yet another car….

I miss him though. He is funny, and smart and cute. And he gives great hugs.  And in 18 more months, I’ll get one.