A Birthday Song!

This picture of my son, Jay and me was taken last year on my August birthday. Before Jay got sick. Before 7 weeks in ICU. Before my precious son went to heaven. And it’s a favorite!

Pictures become treasured keepsakes of people we love. Since the introduction of the iPhone, a camera has always been at our fingertips. You can snap a photo in an instant. No large device needed. No flash attachment. Just point and click.

It hasn’t always been that way. I have very few photos of my childhood since my family did not own a camera. The school took individual pictures so I have those, and when we gathered for family reunions someone in the bunch usually had a camera and shared those snapshots so we weren’t completely without family photos.

When I got married, my mother had a Kodak camera with her. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have pictures of my momentous occasion since Carl and I did a last-minute wedding in a little Army chapel before he deployed. Today, someone would probably pull out their cell phone and record the event.

Along with our new phones came “selfies,” which can be entertaining or egotistical. I’ve definitely taken my share of these fun photos with my sons, Jay and Aaron, as well as my 100-year-old mother when I would visit. She loved it unless her hair wasn’t combed properly. I even had a few selfies with my husband before he went to heaven twelve years ago.

And of course, birthdays are best celebrated with cake, candles, photos and family. So I’m not sure how this year’s August birthday will be without my son, Jay. He’s been with me all of his years, giving hugs, smiles and lots of joy.

But knowing how much my boy loves his mom, I figure Jay will gather all of our heavenly family—his dad and grandparents, his brother and sister, along with Jesus and a few angels and sing a heavenly chorus of “Happy Birthday” to me, his proud mom, on my special day. Can’t wait to hear it!

Thank you, Jay!
Love and miss you my sweet son!