"Wake me up singing."

Zachary: "For my birthday tomorrow morning, I want you to wake me up singing."

Me:  "Singing?"

"Yes. Singing. I want you to wake me up singing a happy song that tells me how much you love me and how happy you are that I was born."

Me:  "Hmmm. Well I am happy that you were born."

Zachary:  "I mean it, Mama."

Me:  "I could try, son. But I'm just thinking. . .my voice isn't really a voice for singing so much. Other than to you guys when you were smaller."

Zachary: "But I like when your voice is singing to me and my brother. It always makes me feel really happy inside. And special."

Me:  "Okay. Then I'll wake you up singing tomorrow."

I kissed him on the forehead, pulled his covers over his shoulder, and walked out of the room. And that was that.

This morning, I tiptoed into his room, sat quietly beside him on his bed, and then I leaned over him. Scooping him into my arms still groggy and rag doll limp, I whispered straight into his now eight year old ear:

"When I wake up in the mornin', love

And the sunlight hurts my eyes

And somethin' without warnin', love

Bears heavy on my mind

Then I look at you

And the world's alright with me

Just one look at you

And I know it's gonna be

A lovely day

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

A lovely day

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

When the day that lies ahead of me

Seems impossible to face

When someone else instead of me

Always seems to know the way

Then I look at you

And the world's alright with me

Just one look at you

And I know it's gonna be

A lovely day

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day)

(Lovely day, lovely day, lovely day, lovely day). . ."

And you know what my baby boy did in response? Even while half asleep, he hugged my neck as tight as he could. I could feel his smiling cheeks bulging on the side of my shoulder when he said, "Thank you so much, Mama. I feel like I can do anything now. And like my whole year is gonna be happy." 

I replied, "I hope your whole life is happy, son." 

And he hugged me once more and said, "So far, it has been. And I think I'm gonna try to keep it going, okay Mom?"

I squeezed him tighter and responded, "Me too, son."

Me, too.

Happy birthday, Zachary. Sometimes? Man. Sometimes we get it right.

***

Happy Thursday. It's been a lovely day and a lovely eight years so far.

Now playing on my mental iPod. . . . . the song that made my son feel happy today. Which made me happy, too.