What’s in the box?

“I’ll blindfold him; it’ll be fine.” That sounds very suspicious if taken out of context. 

A big brother and I had just returned with a pair of sneakers from the clearance section at the outlet store.

With his birthday on the horizon, the littlest brother eagerly submitted to the whole ‘blindfold situation.’ And with a t-shirt wrapped around his head, he tried on the mystery shoes to confirm fit and comfort levels. 

“Yup! They fit! I like them.” And with that, the shoebox entered the vortex of mom’s closet for the next few weeks – where all presents are inevitably stored.

The night before his birthday, we were pulling out the little birthday piñata, blowing up balloons, and readying the ‘notebook where we write a letter to the birthday person so we can keep records of everyone’s birthdays over the years – because we know we’ll just lose homemade cards, and that mom won’t want to store them.’ 

That’s a working notebook title, obviously…

“Wait… I need to print something out,” he said mischievously. 

Suddenly, the living room birthday decorating was replaced with a cut-and-paste project. I watched and occasionally assisted as an OLD pair of the birthday boy’s shoes were decorated with cut-out basketball logos and famous basketball faces… there was even one little spot on a toe for my face. It was a Jordan, Giannis, Mom mash-up of the highest degree. 

Pleased with their work, they tucked the shoes into the box on the table and called it a night. 

It should be a scientific fact that little birthday boys never sleep in on their birthdays – it’s second only to a Christmas morning.

He loved all of his presents so much. A Baby Yoda blanket sewn by one of his Grandmas, a Jordan jumpsuit that he had picked out himself, and a beloved, slightly oversized basketball jersey from his uncle and his other grandparents – that he will grow into and wears daily. One that should only be worn with the longest of his shorts. 

The little red shoe box on the table was the last to be opened. For weeks, he had heard a variety of sentences from his big brothers like, “You’re going to love your (insert famous basketball player name here),” followed by “Oh whoops! Never mind.” 

It had been an era of mental gymnastics for him, so imagine his surprise when he opened the lid to find his old pair of sneakers (that had gone through a massive art procedure) staring up at him!

He looked forlornly inside the box; it seemed plausible that these were the pair all along. The blindfold situation could have been a ruse; he could have simply tried on HIS OWN pair of shoes…

His older brothers laughed, enjoying their brief moment of pranking satisfaction before a suggestion to go check the shoe closet was shared. 

Hope returned as he scampered down the stairs and found the ‘real’ pair amidst the shelves. The one brother who had requested a treasure hunt was satisfied. 

Now… I could describe my swirl of thoughts around the idea of unmet expectations… 

Or patience in the waiting… and a hope that the good thing is still coming…

Or just because this is how it looks right now, isn’t how it will always be…

Maybe even, the answer is yes, but not yet…

And, of course, if your earthly father (in this case, brother) gives you good gifts, how much more does your heavenly father give good gifts?

Who knew life lessons could also be stored inside a little red shoe box on the table? 

Also, I’m not fully supportive of trickery, but a little bit now and again seems appropriate in a house full of boys. Their methods and planning had come a long way from the bright blue toothpaste between two crackers offered to me on an April Fool’s. 

The birthday boy wore his new shoes to church yesterday because ‘Sunday best’ now means your cleanest Nike shorts and nicest basketball shoes… My childhood frilly dresses, matching long socks, and dress shoes could have never predicted such a turn of events…

“I love my new shoes, Mom,” he said as we walked our usual route from the train.

I knew he did; wearing them in the house for 12 hours straight, with his basketball jersey, while wrapped in his Baby Yoda blanket, while he independently constructed a giant Minecraft panda out of Lego, had suggested his intense affection levels. 

“I’m so glad,” I answered. “I also love that your big brother picked them out for you!” 

“Me too,” he said. Subtle grins were on the faces of the nearby brothers.

I love that they’re now picking out gifts for each other all on their own. And I hope that with four brothers in the mix, brotherly pranks, with an infusion of thoughtful sweetness, might be the new normal around here. 

My birthday’s next, but I don’t need new shoes.

“I can only imagine any ‘creativity’ that just might surface…” I said to my boys.

“Don’t push it, Mom,” he answered with severe nonchalance. 

“So wait, as in, you won’t prank me?”

Maybe they’ve used up all of their pranks for this calendar year. Or maybe making me think that is just phase one of their next plan…

Or maybe it isn’t?

I guess I’ll have to wait and see.