Sunday, June 20, 2010

Brother's Day

It's Father's Day.  Around our home that means Brother's Day.   We started this tradition after we lost Tom a few years ago.  Our first Father's Day without him was difficult, but we made the best of it by making cards and letters expressing our feelings for him and getting out in the beautiful sunshine to enjoy the type of things that Dad used to do with us.

When the second Father's Day rolled around, I figured it was time for a fresh approach. We came up with Brother's Day. Here's how it works.  I let the boys sleep in while I prepare their Brother's Day breakfast in bed.  This morning it was french toast with sausages and OJ.


The breakfast trays are prepared with colorful messages from me with one particular character trait each one has shown in the past year that reminds me of their father.

And finally, I write a letter to each one of the children explaining that character trait, how I saw it shown in the past year, and how their father had that same trait in him.

My boys are beginning to look forward to Father's / Brother's Day, and I pray that it inspires them to earn their rights to have Father's Day breakfasts in bed when they are old enough to rear a family God's way!

We're not done after breakfast.  They boys consider our chocolate lab puppy a brother too, so after church we're off to a hike with the dog.

Church on Father's Day is always tough on a widow.  I'll most likely choose to sit near the back and step outside when I feel myself missing the presence of a husband in the home.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Words can not describe the amazing person God has created in you Kitty.

May the amazing grace that radiates from your life come back to you many times over both on this earth as well as what is sure to be your special place in heaven.

It makes my heart fill with gladness to simply say I know you.

Your Sons' are some of the most blessed young men on this earth to have you as their mother.

I do not sign this because my life on this earth is not about recognition of my words or actions. I will leave my judgment to God when he decides my time on this earth is over.

Kimberly said...

What a precious gift to give your sons each year! I especially love how you tell each of them how they showed a character trait like their father over the year. I know that means so much to them.

My father passed away when I was 18 and my brother was only 15. I remember how much it touched my brother one day when I told him how proud I thought dad would be of him. It wasn't over anything major. Just something simple he had set his mind to do himself.

I remember our firsts...how hard they were. It really did help to come up with new traditions. We had a homemade pizza and movie night at Christmas that we continued until I got married.

Hugs to you and your precious sons. They are blessed to have such a loving mother!

Kitty @ Four Toms and a Mom said...

Thanks, Kimberly, and thank you, David.

Kristen @ Moms Sharpening Moms said...

Kitty,

This brought tears to my eyes. How BLESSED your boys are to have you! God bless you wildly as you strive to not only keep your boys' Daddy's memory alive, but also as you "keep on keeping on" with your heavy load. May you feel God alongside you and carrying you through.

It Feels Like Chaos said...

What an amazing way to turn such a hard day into something that I'm sure is so meaningful to your boys! You are an inspiration!

Susan said...

Inventive & heartwarming. Thanks for sharing, Kitty.