TXT Spells Love
<Sniff!>
The Boy left in the custody of his grandfather at high noon today, ready to do battle for his honor and house. Â He carried with him 8 swords, body armor, billet-doux from his three sisters sweet, and a boyish grin that belied the certain, hairy shadow evident on his upper lip.
He will spend his next 3 days dueling bouts against other youth warriors of the blade.
This is the first travel competition The Boy has done without a parent or coach. Â It was an even toss this morning to determine who was most anxious: Â The Boy, The Grandpa, The Papa or The Mamma.
His travel kit included entertainment: Â books, The Papa’s iPod Touch, and a cell phone.
The cell phone was a highly contested item when we gave it to him for his 12th birthday. Â We felt like we had caved to a want our budget couldn’t afford and his need did not justify.
Little did we know that a blink later, he would not only need a cell phone, but we would need him to carry one to offer us communion like The Bread of Life.
Cell phones text:
Jan 14, 2011 3:23 PM (GroupMe w/ The Boy established.)
Papa: Â Hey The Mamma, it’s The Papa. Â I added you to the “The Mamma & The Boy” GroupMe w/ The Boy. Â Reply #exit to leave or #help
The Boy: Â Testing testing 1 2 1 2
Jan 14, 2011 11:14 AM
The Mamma: Â Gottcha! Â xoxoxoxo
Jan 27, 2011 11:51 AM (The Boy & The Grandfather just departed.)
The Papa: Â Miss you!
The Mamma: Â Love you, Son! Â Have a blast. Â xo
The Boy: Â Miss you 2
The Mamma: Â Xo. Â We will now leave you alone for at least 5 minutes! Â Ha! Â Good work getting it all done so you could go well and free!
The Boy: Â Thanks. Girls ok?
Jan 27, 2011 12:17 PM
The Mamma: Â Every girl in house cried. Especially The Oldest Girl. And yes, I do mean me too. Â Well begun?
The Boy: Â Yep
The Mamma: Â Very good. xo
Jan 27, 2011 3:oo PM
The Boy: Â Just stopped for bathroom and gas.
The Papa: Â Cool. Â Deep into _journey_?
The Mamma: Â Eat something too. Â Love you!
The Boy: Â Not sure. It’s getting chilly. Â Huge hills with tress covered in snow, very pretty. What are you guys up to?
The Boy: Â We are gonna stop later for a sitdown meal
The Mamma: Â Very yummy. Â Yay! Â I just finish with the Mcs. Â I am getting my hair done and Papa is working/with the girls.
The Boy: Â Cool.
Jan 27, 2011 4:19 PM
The Boy: Â In _landmark_.
The Papa: Â Yee ha! Â Making great time.
The Mamma: Â Really? Â Wow. Â Doing well?
The Mamma: Â Been thinking about what a big weekend this is for you, how much opportunity you will have to fence over the next couple of months. Makes Mamma happy, happy. Â Xo
The Boy: Â Only 2 hours and 26 minutes left.
The Mamma: Â So good. Â Bet you are hungry. Â Did you start the Card book?
The Boy: Â Yeah
The Mamma: Â Like it?
The Boy: Â Yeah. Â Two hours in. Is great.
The Mamma: Â Every time I read anything about time, I think of Anthony’s Chronos living backwards, outside of relational intimacy.
The Boy: Â Yeah. That was a strange book.
The Mamma: Â Love how you love to read.
The Boy: Â =)
The Mamma: Â Oh, wanna have The Oldest Girl take in your Js to Ms F, so you get all good props for being prepared?
The Boy: Â Sure. Â That’s fine
The Mamma: Â Rock star. Those turned out well. Â Xo
Jan 27, 2011 4:30 PM
The Boy: Â =)
The Mamma: Â 🙂
Jan 27, 2011 4:50 PM
The Mamma: Â Hey. Â What’s your theme song?
The Boy: Â My theme song?
The Mamma: Â Yeah. Pumps you up. Sings your creed…
The Boy: Â Oh uh. Actually the song If It Gives You Hell by All American Rejects
The Mamma: Â Good one.
The Boy: Â Why?
Jan 27, 2011 6:57 PM
The Boy: Â At hotel.
The Papa: Â Cool. Plenty of time to get a bite and some rest.
The Mamma: Â Hotel nice? Â relax and have great eats! Â xo
The Boy: Â Yeah sounds good.
The Boy: Â Gonna leave phone to charge while we eat
The Mamma: Â Ok. Enjoy. Â Xo
Jan 27, 2011 8:14 PM
The Boy: Â Back. Â Had the biggest meatiest cheesiest lasagna ever
The Papa: Â Oh, yum. Nice carb load for tomorrow.
The Mamma: Â Delicious! Â Way to carb load! Â xo
The Boy: Â Yah
The Mamma: Â Love! Â xo
The Boy: Â Just opened my suitcase. Tell girls hello for me?
The Mamma: 😉 Xo (The girls secretly handmade scrum-dil-i-ic-ous cards and hid them in The Boys luggage.)
The Mamma: Â Hugs from us all! Â We love you.
The Boy: Â MONKEYÂ (The Boy had left me with his most recent first place trophy, THE MONKEY, to keep during his trip. Â I snuck that into his suitcase too.)
The Mamma: Â I know, right? 🙂 xoxoxoxo
The Boy: Â Yay
The Mamma: Â To remind you you’re a winner.
Jan 27, 2011 8:59 PM
The Mamma: Â Going to bed soon?
The Boy: Â Soon
The Mamma: Â K. Want to talk, or just ready to get still? Â Xo
The Boy: Kinda tired and wanna get still. Â Love you and good night.
The Mamma: Â Good night, Boy. Â Godspeed. Â Love you. Â xo
The Boy: Â Night, poopsie.
The Papa: Â Night, buddy.
The Mamma: Â xo
The Boy: Â Night dude
I no longer have any idea why I thought, “He doesn’t need a damn cell phone!”
That damn phone texts.
That Boy used that blessed phone of his to keep us connected with his travel in an easy, conversational, relevant, real-time way.
TXT spells LOVE!
xoxoxoxo
Well baby I’ve been here before
I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew ya
I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch
Love is not a victory march
It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah!