Airport Kisses

At the airport on Thanksgiving morning, I sat with my 12-year-0ld son, waiting for the attendant to announce it was time for the unaccompanied minors to begin boarding the aircraft. My son was flying from Indianapolis to Los Angeles to visit his father for the long holiday weekend. He sat next to me, oblivious to the world as he played on the portable game system he'd convinced me he needed for the trip a few days before. I leaned over and snuggled close to him, watching as he expertly maneuvered his character through a maze filled with monsters.

I leaned a little closer and kissed him on the cheek. A faint smile, despite the monster battles. A few seconds later, I gave him another quick peck, thinking how much I was going to miss this little guy over the next four days. He's always amazingly tolerant of my kisses and hugs, perhaps realizing he's the youngest...my baby. And that he is the last of my children small and young enough to cuddle and kiss and spoil.

I considered for a moment that I might be embarrassing him in this busy airport terminal. So, I decided to test him a bit. I said, "What if I count to three and then kiss your cheek on three?" I fully expected a long, drawn-out, "Mooooooooooooom!" But, without looking up, he said, "Okay." So, I counted to three, "One, two, three." KISS! Then, again, "One, two, three" KISS! As I started again to say, "One," he looked up from his game, smiled widely, and said, "Three! Three! Three!"

I am so blessed to be loved by this child.