Images of Love

Some lucky woman has a great husband in the making. If he can just keep it up for the next 20 years, Joseph is already being trained to be a true romantic.

Exhibit A: Flowers

This may not look terribly romantic, but this little vase was often full of Joseph's floral offerings during the summer. His favorite were the dandelions, which I heartily encouraged him to remove from the lawn and bring to me.

Exhibit B: Poetry

Last week, Joseph asked, "Mom, how do you spell like?" Then a few moments later, "How do you spell roses?" then "How do you spell blue?" This was the result. Joseph proudly tells me it is his "first poem." I'm not sure if I've ever read a poem that I liked so much.

Exhibit C: Love Letters

Joseph mailed me this letter a few days ago. I was so happy to see it in the mail yesterday, open it up and treasure it in my mind.

If this isn't the beginning of something great, I don't know what more he could be doing. He's already great at giving compliments. At Grandma's house: "Wow, Tiffani! You could bee-you-tee-ful!" At home: "Mommy, you look so pretty today!" At church: "Mom, I really like Sierra's dress today." Then, following Mom's approval, "Sierra, that's a great dress today."

Of course, it's not always so nice. Like yesterday when I was going to show our basement apartment to some potential tenants, the following little conversation ensued:

Mom: "Joseph, stay upstairs."
Joseph: "I know, I know.."
Mom: "You're still following me.." An apologetic look to the tenants who are waiting for our domestic felicity to subside. "Stay here. Joseph. Stop. Now."
Joseph: "But Mooooooommm..."
Mom: "1... 2..."
Joseph: "But Moooommm...." (nearly crying now) "I wanna be a gentleeman! I wanna open the door for you!"