Coffee, Tex-Mex and Birthdays

Yesterday my oldest son was 23 yrs old. When he was a little boy it was hard on him to have a birthday so close after Christmas. One year we gave him a half-birthday party in July. We made half a cake, made him half- birthday cards and bought him a couple of simple presents (super soakers as I recall) The celebration was in the park with swimming in the creek(Grandpa battling a large swan who decided to attack a skinny 8yr old boy) , junk food and watching the community theater production of West Side Story after dark. He's had many birthdays since then but that was my favorite as his mom. This year I took him out to lunch to the family's favorite Tex-Mex restaurant. His wife was at work, his daughter was fairly well behaved for a toddler up past nap time. His older sister and her husband came along. We ate too much, talked politics and watched the baby eat chips with salsa. It is nice to be friends with this son after the stormy years of childhood and adolescence. It is nice to watch him love his wife and care for his little daughter. He and his wife are expecting their second child next month. This will be a little boy. His older and younger sister are also soon to have sons. The family is getting prepared for the three cousins reign of terror (orchestrated by a little red haired despot ruler who happens,at 18 months of age, to like chips and salsa). I wonder if any of them will ever have a half birthday party in the park?
This afternoon I will drink a cup of coffee or three and watch the younger kids relax on a rainy Saturday afternoon. I didn't know them at birth. I met them for the first time 4+ years ago. They were scared. We were scared.
"Y'all were scared???" the oldest of the 3 asked me once.
"Of course we were scared. weren't you scared?"
"We were sooo scared. What did you have to be scared about?"
"You would hate us, we wouldn't be good parents for you, you know, that sort of stuff. "
"We thought you'd be mean. We didn't know about white people"
"Well, are we?"
"Naw.... Love ya mom!"
"Love ya too"

Blood has nothing to do with love. I wish more people realized that.
Happy birthday son.
I think I'll pour another cup of coffee.