Yesterday

(Sing with me.)

All my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh, I believe in yesterday

Yesterday we had to stop by The Zhay for post-Christmas errands. We made our purchases and ran to the square to drop by the bank. While we were there, we decided Chinese was in order. This is a delicate proposition when we are out with our children. Could we get them to eat out and behave? Also, this was our favorite Chinese restaurant back in the student days.

We walked into the restaurant and got a table for four near the back. That was good. The server got our drinks quickly and the shredded beef Szechuan style was the lunch special of the day. Things were looking up since that was exactly what I was craving.

We ordered four dishes with wonton soup and egg rolls. Grace tried her wonton soup without prompting. Caleb and Grace each ate some of their egg rolls. Lunch came and they loaded up on orange chicken and rice and then devoured it. Both of them tried to use their chopsticks and did so responsibly without making a mess. A revolution was going on in the back of the Chinese restaurant and I am not sure enough people knew about it. We walked out shocked and proud of the way they conducted themselves.

On the way home, Caleb asked if we could stop by the cemetery to see Robert. We agreed and headed there. As we were nearing Robert's grave site, my heart sank. A service was going on. The children know how to behave in a cemetery but it has not been easy to teach them. Children love to run and climb. Running and climbing on a headstone or marker are taboo in cemeteries. It has been a struggle for them to understand and remember this (especially Caleb).

As we walked over, both Grace and Caleb stayed close by us. We went over to Robert's marker and chatted quietly for a couple of minutes. Caleb sang Robert a little song that he made up about Christmas and Hanukkah. Then we walked over to the car as the graveside service was finishing up. The children were respectful and stayed with us.

As we drove out of the cemetery, I could not be more proud of them. It is hard to see my children grow up, but when they do all the right things I could not be happier. They are understanding the lessons we are trying to teach them. Elation falls short of describing what I was feeling.

Then I remembered that the new baby is due in only six more weeks. We are so excited for the impending birth, but logistically this day could not have happened with a newborn along. So I guess for every great tomorrow, we trade something from yesterday.

And yesterday is the day that we are trading in order to be able to hold a newborn and love that child. A trade we will willing make, but we still can't wait to find more of these kinds of days sometime in the future.