Babe, This is better than a ring

This is a Costco membership card. MY membership card. Some of you know what this is, or maybe you are more familiar with Sam’s. They are actually similar, both are member only clubs to shop for bulk items at a great discount. Good deals. You can buy Sweet n Lo, in bulk,  it will last a YEAR. I’m not kidding.

I, usually, will buy toilet paper, paper towels, and trash bags. Being a single mother, it makes sense to try and save where I can. Jason has a membership, and I would go with him. We would figure out how to pay the other back for things bought or what not. His membership, he has to pay, or I pay. Only one can pay – one card.

Going to Costco on a saturday is like an adventure – you never know what samples they might be serving. You never know what wonderful books, toys, equipment, seasonal and otherwise, that they might be carrying. I LOVE Costco. It’s so fun and I hate shopping, so this tells you a lot.

Earlier this year, on a Costco trip, Jason mentions that his X is still on his Costco membership. REALLY? WHY? He says it’s free for him and he just never bothered to take her off. REALLY?

Quite honestly, it upset me. If it were HER membership, I guarantee you – he would have been taken off immediately. She divorced HIM. Why is he still being nice to her?

He tells me, he is a nice guy. I agree, BUT come on…..after everything? If she likes Costco so much, let her buy her own membership. It can’t be that much. It still ties them together. It still seemed like he was honoring his wifely commitment (and you remember that whole drama) which I thought ended at his divorce in December, or so I thought. It bothered me – GREATLY.

He didn’t understand, and I get that. I do. It’s harmless right? She is buying stuff for the kids – his kids – that he pays child support for. A LOT of child support, like what I lived on as single parent working full time AND with my child support added in, child support. But I digress….

What I am saying is – I felt like he chose her over me. That no matter what, I would always be second. She was the mother of his children. She came first.

Now, I do tend to overanlayze and read more into something than I should. I KNOW. You are all shaking your head. This is how it felt at that time. I stewed a half hour, came to terms with it, realized all the nice things I did for my ex husband Sonny – and still would do. I would have felt better if she was as nice as Sonny but still – I was fine with it. Stop it, I WAS.

On my merry way I went, without another thought (usually). Oh, I’d feel a twinge when we’d visit Costco. My mind would want to holler to me – I was SECOND. I didn’t listen. I knew, I was first. Get behind thee, Satan.

One of our last visits, we had the kids. We are having a jolly old time. Goofing off, trying samples, and playing with everything. I do mean everything. girlsincart
At check out, I took the girls along with Sydney and Kyle to get drinks at the little concession. We were sipping our smoothies, when I see Jason waving at me. I leave Sydney with the kids and go to him. He is standing there at the back computer behind the check out, smiling.

Give her your info, I am adding you to my membership. My JAW dropped. Huh? Really? He was taking X off and adding me. I barely recovered enough to give her my name, then as if in a daze, we head over to get my picture taken for my new card. My new card.

I don’t understand why months, and months later he had this change of heart. I will say it made me feel very, very special. Such a simple thing, but it was an act of love for me. It filled my heart.

I said to Jason, “Babe, this is better than a ring!”.

He says to me, “We’ll see about that”.

Taking part

I think I’ve mentioned a billion few times that Jason has two daughters. The oldest is age 5 and just started kindergarten this year. The youngest is three. I won’t “name” them because their Mom has a wordpress blog, and she is weird about that. (I don’t think she realizes our Facebooks have their names and pictures all over them, ahem) I, also, won’t give them fake names, my blog is real, events are real. I love their names and them. I don’t want to alter who they are.

These children bring me great gladness. I have watched them change and grow the last year and half. I’ve seen them hit milestones. I have celebrated with them and their Dad. I am still amazed by the youngest, who is talking up a storm now. It took her almost three years but, finally she found her voice. It wasn’t just words, but complete sentences.

I’ve been a part of many adventures with them. I was the first one to suggest Chuck E Cheese, the State Fair, and the Circus. Many great firsts! The Circus was actually a second this year, as will be the State Fair today. Christmas and Easter will be seconds for me with them, which is very exciting.

Today, is also 10-10. 10-10 has special meaning in my life with Jason and the kids. His oldest is 10 years younger than my daughter Sydney. Her Birthday is also 10 days before my daughter’s. 10-10, Get it? It is kinda incredible, if you consider all the days, and it happens to be 10 exactly. Whoa.

So, today, 10-10 is also special because this day early in the morning, a tooth fairy visited Jason’s house. YEP! The oldest lost her tooth after school yesterday (her first). It was Jason’s weekend, and when he picked her up, there was her little tooth in hand.

She was extremely excited, and happy when I saw her after work. She proudly displayed her gap, her eyes lit up. It was so darn cute. Of all the days, that tooth, could have fallen out. It happened on HIS weekend. What are the odds? They only stay the night, two nights, every other weekend.

Of course, there will be some firsts that Jason misses as well. In the meantime, as we relish this victory of growth. As we celebrate the joys of childhood, Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus visits, and first time events to lift them up in joy, until the magic is replaced with reality, and age.

10-9-09 a tooth milestone. 10-10, a celebration, the start of a GREAT Texas State Fair day, with a few less teeth.
A gaping grin

Celebrate your milestones and growth today, with all the jubilance of a child’s first.