Story of the Day 5/14/ 2014

My mother and my son, Aaron, the middle child, drove off, before noon.
They are on their way to St. Louis to enjoy my nephew's graduation from college.
As I pointed out to Aaron, "You see, some people actually GRADUATE from college." It was just one of many minor hints I have dropped, over the past....few years.
At any rate, they pulled out , headed in the right direction.

Earlier, this morning, my son proudly announced that he had made a packing list. This is something that I have traditionally made and given to my children, so they can do their own packing. In the case of my oldest child, Ely, he has long since mastered this skill and makes his own packing list. I think he may have mastered it about 10 years ago.
My son, Aaron, however, seems to a bit of a slow learner, and this is one of his first attempts.

He read it to me.
I said, " You forgot deodorant."
I thought a moment.
"And pajamas."

He added them to the list.
I asked him to see it, to double check. I find visuals work best for me, I am a bit too ADD to be sure what I heard 57 seconds ago.
I look down the list.
Underwear.
Socks.
Shirts.
toothbrush and toothpaste.
I do not see a comb listed, but he hasn't used one of those in years.
Not since he discovered the "buzz cut".

Hearing aid batteries.
Alarm clock.

I smile. I think of my sister and her household being awoken, tomorrow morning, and Friday morning, and Sunday morning, and Monday morning by this special alarm clock we purchased that is able to wake my deaf son.
I imagine their relief when he pulls out of the parking spot in front of the house to head back here.

There were a number of other things, but it looked good.
Despite his original omission of deodorant and pajamas.
This is a huge improvement from when he packed for Israel and forgot to take any shirts.
I hand the list back to him and go back to my work.

Later, after an early lunch, they drive off.
I come back into the house, my arms a tad sore from waving like a maniac, and notice that sitting on the kitchen counter,
in a plastic travel bag,
is my son's toothbrush.