Knowing I’d miss your fifth birthday was a sting to my heart.
Turning five was absolutely the BIGGEST deal of your life!
I was ready to splurge on an early celebration before I left you for Africa on deployment- what did you want?
I presented the options- a fancy cake with a customized design, a trip to the zoo, the aquarium, Tayo the Bus playground. We looked through the options on various websites together, minds buzzing with excitement.
Spoilt for choice, I saw you gasp in amazement at the different cake designs, the different kinds of fun available.
“Sweetheart, think carefully. If you had just one last day left to spend with Mummy, what would you want to do? So many choices, choose your favorite!”
She thought long and hard. I beamed, eager to hear her final pick, even if it cost me.
Silence.
“Mama, if I had one last day with you, I would want you to homeschool me one last time.”
The world around me stops, tears dam my eyes and in my throat, fills an unspeakable love.
“And if I had to choose a cake, I just want to make one together with you. You can make the chocolate cake, and I’ll put the strawberries on top.”
She smiles.
Happy birthday, sweetheart.
Thank you for being you. 
