I got the biggest surprise today when college boy showed up at church ready to sit with his mama during services. But to his surprise, church started at 9 am and not at 12:00 which he had thought.You should have seen him standing in the nursery doorway, where I spend the rest of my day tending the little ones, holding a potted flower in one hand and a card in the other.
Knowing he was going to be out of town with his college golf team on Mothers Day, he wanted to give me his present early, him.
I just stood there and cried when I saw him. You see my college boy no longer attends church and struggles with finding his place within the world of religion. He went when he was at home because it's what we do but as he got older, I could tell he was drifting away. This was huge for me and he knew it. He even apologized for showing up late, but since he has been at college, he really had no idea our time changed in January.
I even loved and appreciated his thoughtfulness by bringing me a potted flower. It's a Mother's Day tradition in our ward for the young men to pass out potted flowers to all the mothers as soon as the service ended. The woman would stay in their seats while the boys leave and come back with their flowers. My boys always made sure they were the ones to give me the gift. Having college boy show up at church with the intention of attending services was more than I could have ever imagined, it was a complete surprise. He topped it off by remembering the Mother's Day tradition, which opened up the flood gates and I lost it completely.
He expressed his disappointment by missing sacrament but stayed anyway and helped out with the nursery kids until church was over, then hung out with the husband and I for most of the afternoon before heading back to school.
I can't even begin to express the love I feel and the gratitude I have for my middle son and although he may have strayed from the flock, he has never strayed from my heart.
11 comments:
What a wonderful gift from a son who knows and loves you. He sounds like a great son.
Thanks for taking the time to write this down. What an amazing mother you must be.
if he's willing to show up at church just to make you smile, you must be pretty great.
i wouldn't worry about him too much - sounds like his heart is in the right place and he'll figure it out sometime. (i know, i was in his same boat not long ago at all.)
So sweet. (Him and this post.)
What a beautiful Mothers Day present! It sounds like you have raised a wonderful son and he knows he can never stray from your heart. You are a good mom.
It's the unconditional love that keeps them in our hearts. What a wonderful example you are of this.
Happy Mothers Day :)
This made my cold, dead heart, thaw a bit. :)
What a great boy you raised.
What a sweet heart!
Saimi, Apparently when Spencer was here this morning he signed into blogger so when I left the comment above it was under Spencer's account. :)
Thats my brother! Such a good example to the rest of us.
Thanks for sharing a touching story--it is tough what comes down our path, but one of mine strayed and came back, met a nice girl, she joined the church and they married in the temple. phew--so many fasts later. He sounds like that kind of boy. Thank goodness he has you for a mom.
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