OK I haven't posted a blog in awhile, sorry. Sorry Tom.
This is a long one but a good one. Worth reading. (I think so anyway, I've read it 3 times already:-))
This morning I woke up to a soft tapping on my door- It was my Ikey waking me up to help him with his paper route. It was 4:11 a.m. and I told him last night I would help him today. He has been calling the paper for about two months now looking for a paper route and got his new route just a week ago tomorrow. We have been living in tough financial times lately and he told me he feels guilty asking for money so he found a way he can have a job to make his own money and stay involved in sports. He has to get up at 4 a.m. and he has to have them delivered by 6 a.m., and 8 a.m. on Sundays. He has 47-50 papers (twice as many on Friday and three times the bulk on Sundays) and walks about two miles away to deliver them. This morning was 39 degrees out (it was warm!!!)while yesterday it was below 0 when he delivered.
Isaac is my middle child, which he has only been for 4 of his 16 years(that's when Race came around), so he is my big baby- BIG because he is pushing the top off 6'2", and the toe off a size 13 shoe. He wears a size 36x34 jean and they aren't baggy like the clothes kids today wear, they fit him. His heart is as big as they come. He has always been very helpful. When he was one year old he would make his bed when he still slept in a crib before he would climb out- Andrew would drag him out. Then he would come in my room and walk my comforter up from the bottom of my bed to the top while looking over the mattress saying "help oo mama". He would run to do anything I asked, especially if I asked Andrew to do for me. He would listen and run ahead of Andrew and have my request granted before Andrew had a synapse.
He liked a girl in kindergarten and when I asked her name he said "I don't know- the one with sun hair."
His first grade teacher told me if a child spilled their crayons in her room Isaac was the first one there to help them pick them up.
Isaac John named after his father who is John Isaac who was named after his grandfathers. I totally planned on calling him Isaac- When he was two weeks old Andrew, Isaac and I went to the drug store, and the pharmacist came over and "ooed and ahhed" over our baby and asked Andrew what his brothers name was- here was this beautiful little baby boy and out of my 2-yr olds mouth came "Ike". Nice, a baby named Ike. Well he has been Ike ever since. I used to ask him what his name was when he was 2 and he would say "Ikey John Bushey". I loved that so I always asked over and over. I love bugging him- maybe that's why he bugs me so much now- ya think?
His clothes are always pressed and neat especially before a basketball game or other sport. He does not like holes in his jeans like others wear them.
When he was learning to talk he would ask me something and if I did not understand what he said he just shut his mouth. I could beg to have him repeat it and to no avail- he would not open his mouth again until he could say it correctly. So I would not correct him when he would ask if we could go to the park in a "couple whiles".
He was the child interested in grandpa. When I would call Florida to talk to mom the phone got passed around- Andrew wanted to talk to gramma, then Ike got on and he would say "Hi gramma, where's grandpa?" Neither of them, Ike or grandpa were phone talkers- and would keep it brief- sharing basketball info (dad is a Orlando Magic fan)and NASCAR results. Dad didn't get the attention from the grandchildren first pick like that until Ike came around- well how could he compete with Grandma, she's first rate.
Ikey very sensitive and thoughtful and deserving of my help at 4:11 a.m. When I told him I would help him he said- "No mom it's really early, you don't have to help me, I can do it". I got up and bagged his papers with him and drove him around and delivered a few. I watched him try to go quietly up onto the porches of his customers so as not to make too much noise and wake them. When he got out of the car to deliver a paper he would tell me cut the lights so we would not disturb people still sleeping. He puts the paper on a chair next to the door for one elderly woman so she does not have to bend over to pick it up. He is thinking of other people, and being kind and considerate. This is gratifying to know someone so young is thinking of other people, is being kind, and considerate, and I know him. I am blessed.
He has gone back to bed now after we ate breakfast together- He had OATMEAL!!! Where did he come from?:-)- He thanked me and gave me a big hug- (the top of my head is under his chin). He has baseball practice this morning at 7 and again after school until 8 tonight, he is on the honor roll in school, and brought me a paper to sign this week so he can be a mentor to younger kids in school. It is so easy to help someone like him. I am so blessed to know him and be in his life. What a cool guy- and he likes me. I like him too. I love this kid, he is just what I wanted. They all are.
I told my kids that their dad and I may not have stayed together but they are to never think for one minute that they werent wanted because they were always wanted. I looked forward to meeting them as soon as I knew they were coming. I still enjoy the thought of getting to know them better everyday. And I do- I'm the lucky girl- I winned!!!
