The fire wasn't roaring, it was simply burning quietly, cozy, and warm. The flames made dancing shadows on the wall. Olivia, Jane, and Wesley Thomas were gathered at the round table that sat low in front of the fireplace. A perfect spot for keeping warm, drawing pictures, reading books, and making plans. The room was quiet, with the exception of the occasional settling of wood in the fireplace.
The children were concentrating, each on their own projects. So much so that they did not breathe a word to one another.
Olivia brushed the unruly blonde curl away from her face. The flick of her hand showed her slight frustration at its insistence to constantly hang over her left eye. She was busy drawing a detailed picture of a puppy she was hoping to be given for her birthday.
Jane read her story about the frog, the dragon fly, and the minnow family. A definite page turner. She adjusted her glasses to sit further up on her nose. Jane felt shy about her new glasses, but they made it much easier to read and she loved stories more than anything. Something she did not realize was that her glasses did nothing to hide her beautiful green eyes.
Wesley Thomas sketched pictures as he made plans for the go cart he was going to build with his dad. Before him, in precision like order, lay three rulers in assorted sizes, four perfectly sharpened pencils, one large eraser, one yellow highlighter, and a half full pack of cinnamon gum. It helped him with his concentration and his creativity. At least that is what he told Olivia each time he denied her a piece. He looked over every detail in a dreamy state that made him wish they could begin building tomorrow.
The doorbell rang and within a few seconds their mom came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on a dish towel. When she opened the front door, there was a box wrapped in brown paper. Bringing the box into the living room, where the children had not moved from their cozy spot, she announced, "Children, we have a surprise!!"
The children looked up and asked, all at the same time, "What is it?" Then they all giggled.....bubbling over with excitement.
Surprises came regularly, but this part never dampened the children's enthusiasm. In truth and in fact, it caused an unquenchable expectation and anticipation to flourish in their hearts and imaginations.
Olivia, Jane, and Wesley Thomas were children of brilliant and creative parents. Their mother was a talented, not to mention, beautiful teacher. Their father was a brave and skilled soldier with a heart of gold. Everyone referred to him as "Colonel" or "Sir" and at times, even "Colonel Sir." To his children, he was simply "daddy."
It had been just before Olivia's birthday last year that their daddy had to go to work far from home. when he left, his strong arms tenderly held the children near as possible to his heart. He did not hurry to loosen the hold he had them in.
As their small arms stretched as far as they could around his large frame, he told them how proud he was to be their daddy. He assured them if they were sad, it was perfectly all right to cry. Then he told them over and over and over and over again that he loved them all with his whole heart.
On the day of Olivia's sixth birthday, her daddy had been gone
two weeks. That morning, the door bell rang while everyone slept. Wearing fuzzy slippers and rubbing blurry eyes, with curiosity, they answered the door. No one was there, but there was a box............
a big one. Attached was an envelope; upon opening it, they found
a map along with careful instructions of what to do and how. In
the box they found a dress; pink with white ribbons and just Olivia's size. They also found a camera that had a note tied to it. In large bold letters, it said:
"TAKE ME WITH YOU............I WANT TO SEE"
The map lead to a park with a beautiful carousel. Olivia was
beside herself with happiness. After a long ride on the carousel, they walked along the lane.....a man selling ice cream came to them, giving Olivia her favorite.....Rocky Road. Then he put a ribbon in her hand; as she followed the ribbon upward with her eyes, she saw a pink balloon that said:
"Happy Birthday, Olivia, Daddy loves you."
All she could do was smile, as a tiny tear ran down her small cheek. After a minute, she whispered,
"I love you too, Daddy."
With balloon in tow, they walked on, only to discover a zoo! Lions, bears, tigers, elephants, and giraffes, monkeys.....one or two, and several other curious creatures they didn't even know what to call.....definitely more than a few. It was fun looking, listening, and imitating them, too.
Turning the corner, just beyond the elephant enclosure, they happened upon a beautifully cascading water fall. Deciding instantly that there would not be a better place to take a family photo. They requested the assistance of a passing gentleman.
As they scrambled for position, Olivia and Jane squashed up against their mom while Wesley Thomas jumped on her back, holding himself securely by wrapping his arms around her neck.
By doing this, he set off a contagious concert of laughter that
filled the afternoon air. The man they asked to take the picture had no need of prompting them to smile. When he snapped the picture, the moment was captured and what a moment it was, indeed!
To everyone's remarkable surprise, as the man handed the camera back to their mommy, he handed Olivia a tiny pink box. Inside the box was a locket, inside the locket was a picture of Olivia and her daddy. The note read:
"Wear this and I'll always be with you."
That day was the first adventure, the first surprise, the first box. Since that day, many more had come.
On Wesley Thomas's birthday, his box arrived before the sun had a chance to show even a glimmer of light. The box contained a logo covered jumpsuit, ball cap, special shoes, and most importantly, a set of earplugs. Following the instructions in the note that was attached to the box, he slipped into the jumpsuit with a million questions floating through his little head. Throughout the coarse of the day, he said over and over to himself, "This is for real. This is not a dream." Young Wesley Thomas had been given an opportunity to be in the pit in the middle of all the action for the rest of the day. The noise and the high paced activity made his heart beat wildly, his head spin and for every minute of it, he wore an ear to ear grin.
Today was the Indy 500 and he was up close and personal for every minute of it. At the conclusion of the day and the finish of the race, it turned out that it was not the end of the surprises. Wesley Thomas got to meet and have his picture taken with his favorite driver, who happened to, today of all days, win the race!
The driver gave him a tool box with everything a small mechanic might need. It had a note that said, "Wesley T., (Only his dad ever called him that) We will work on the car together when I get home."
On Jane's birthday, a trip to the biggest library she had ever seen and certainly never imagined, was in the box. Once there, she met her favorite author. They talked over a special lunch, just the two of them. After dessert was served, Jane received a book. No one else in the whole wide world had this story and no one would for six months. The author, her favorite, and now personal friend gave it to her early just for her birthday. That was pretty terrific, downright awesome, but that wasn't the best part. When Jane opened the front cover, she found these words:
"My darling, little wiggly, giggly bookworm,
The night of the day that I come home, we
will read this story together."
The boxes didn't come on birthdays only. It could be anytime. They had gone fishing on the river, camping in the mountains, and took a trip through the clouds in a yellow balloon. On an excursion to the beach, they had built castles in the sand, played in the surf, to everyone's near disbelief, with a pod of dolphins. One brisk and windy Saturday they flew kites in a grassy meadow before roasting their hot dogs and toasting their marshmallows over an open fire while playing the "do you remember when daddy....?" game. The only rule was to share your best daddy memories. Jane was elated when they had taken a road trip to see the blue grass country and the magnificent horses that live there.
So, once again they had a surprise. Another cherished gift from the daddy they adored. Each individual mind let their imagination take flight into the awesome possibilities of the secret that was about to be revealed. A year of memories of each box and the adventure waiting within, added to their wondering.
Mom had slung the dish towel, she was drying her hands with,
over her shoulder in order to carry the box into the living room.
Reaching up, she tugged the towel from her shoulder, laying it next
to the focal point; this latest treasure in their small world. The family gathered around the table as they eagerly waited. All you could hear was quiet. As they stared at the box, a log shifted in the fireplace and went kerplunk!!! They all laughed, because they all jumped.
Mommy reached to lift the lid as the sweet onlookers leaned forward. When they looked inside, disappointment washed over their young heart. EMPTY, except for a note. Unfolding the single sheet of paper, mommy read these few words:
"In the morning light, I will find my greatest delight."
Nothing more. Ten words. No map. No instructions. No bathing suits and sand shovels. No kites with colorful tails.
"WHAT NOW?" Wesley Thomas asked no one in particular.
"We wait." Mommy said, with a reassuring smile.
At dinner, all the kids pushed their food around on their plates, eating just a few bites. After a solemn bath time, they climbed into their beds. No one wanted a bed time story, not even Jane. Slipping off to sleep, they didn't even dream.
The door bell was ringing........
The door bell was ringing a lot.............
Morning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Much like the first day in fuzzy slippers, with blurry eyes, the family went to the door. A Box. An enormous box. Tall. Wesley Thomas read the note out loud. "Pull Me." So, he did and when he did, the sides of the box fell flat. Daddy stood smiling back at them.
Before they could realize he was real, their daddy scooped
them into his arms.
"Hello, my delights!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Daddy was in the box." squealed Olivia.
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