Sweet Music

My boys are not different from any other siblings in a relationship. Sometimes, they argue. Sometimes one irritates the other purposely and the other feels a need to retaliate because on a worldly level, it's the only way to make things "fair." Of course, sometimes they will defend one another against the flagrant rudeness of an outsider, too. Like the time my mild mannered older son shot a very hard intentional glare in the direction of a 12-year-old who was taunting his then 4-year-old brother and blocking him inside a plastic pod at McDonald's. Both Dalton and I were ready to take this kid to task, I can assure you.

But it's only been in the last year or so that the dynamic between my sons has included just hanging out. Enjoying one another's company. Being brothers. Discovering together what it means to be a boy. Before, Justice was just a toddler, unable to keep up with Dalton. He was just discovering the magic of Blue's Clues at the time when Dalton was needing to assert his growing maturity by proclaiming Blue's Clues was "too babyish." Justice would ride his tricycle around the small invisible space we (his parents) had proclaimed to be safe, while wistfully watching his older brother have free reign of the cul-de-sac on his big boy bike.

I have never been in any hurry to rush a particular stage of growth in my children. I've always wanted to heed the advice of mothers everywhere to "enjoy every moment." But I have dreamed about the day my boys would be true buddies. And I always just assumed when they bonded in this way, it would probably be over something strictly male. Playing football (which they do, for HOURS on end), building forts, or woodworking in their Dad's shop.

I would never have guessed that one of the sweetest moments I'd ever witness between these two would begin with a cheap toy bought yesterday at Dollar General.

Somewhere in a torn powder blue gift bag, I have 2 receipts kept as mementos for the first times my 10-year-old son and my 7-year-old daughter made purchases with their own money. This tradition is a big deal in our family. We'll give the kids opportunities to do chores around the house outside of their regular assigned tasks and pay them accordingly. Things that are not required, but merely opportunities for a "paycheck" if they want save for something special. We show significant pride in that receipt for a first purchase and hang it on the refrigerator for several days. I can still remember that my son bought a calculator and my daughter bought a doll. Both under $5 and legitimately earned.

Yesterday, it was Justice's turn. We were at the discount store so I could quickly grab some laundry soap when he came to me with worry in his voice. "Oh, I REALLY want to spend my money here on something, but I didn't know we were coming here so I don't have my wallet. And there's only one of them left!" Being the embodiment of JOCK, I was surprised when he told me the item he was panting after was a $1 yellow plastic recorder, a musical instrument similar to a flute.

Dalton received a recorder in music class before Christmas and has since been steadily improving at it, adding four or five songs to his repertoire. And Justice just knew that his patient older brother would be eager to teach him. He stood there and admired that little plastic toy like it held all the value of a vault of gold. I fronted him the $1. And I have made it back more than a million times over in watching my little boys practice together.

A while ago, Justice ran into my room where I lay sick and absolutely beamed from ear to ear! "Justice is here to give you a concert," Dalton proclaimed. I watched as my younger son proudly lifted that little plastic recorder toward his toothless, gapped grin and announced, "Listen, mama! I can do two notes - A and B. Except, of course, in recorder B comes first." Then he glanced knowingly at his brother seeking his respect for having remembered that musical fact. I choked back happy tears as I listened to the most beautiful rendition of two notes played over and over and over. The tender satisfaction in my heart was mirrored in Dalton's face as he watched his protege's performance. He was taking a bit of rightful ownership in the success of a new accomplishment for his not-so-baby brother. A teacher and his student. Loving siblings. My boys.