The List Part II

One day I was sitting on the grass in the front yard of our home. My three children came up to me, plopped their little rear ends in my lap and asked, although Paddy couldn't speak at the time since he was only one, "Why did you marry Mommy?"
I thought about it for a moment before I answered Brianna who was asking the question. I looked at all three of them and answered, "I had a List".
Timmy asked, "Was it a long list, Daddy?"
"Not so long..." I answered.
"What was on the List, Dad?"
"Things I wanted in a mommy for you guys."
"Like a Santa Claus List?"
"Sort of."
"Did you send it to Santa?"
"No. It's not quite that kind of list."
"What kind of List?" asked Brianna.
"What was on it?" added Timmy.
"Well, let's see if I can remember some of the things. I knew you guys would want a mommy that was beautiful...."
"And Mommy is beautiful," added Brianna. "So you got that."
"Yes I did. In spades."
"What are spades?"
"They're in a deck of cards."
"Oh."
"And I wanted someone who could and would stay home with you...."
"God that in spades, too." Brianna, thinking herself clever, added again.
"Yes, I did. And I wanted someone who could teach you about music and how to play the piano...."
Timmy said, "Brianna has started piano. How come I can't?"
"Because you're still too little. That will come soon enough. But you know what?"
"What?" two out of the three chimed in.
"I really wanted someone who would sprinkle Fairy Dust on your cereal in the morning and help me read to you and pray with you at bed time....."
"Mmlubjhghjojddkg..." drooled Paddy.
"Exactly." I said.
"And did you get everything on the List, Daddy?"
I could feel the smile growing over my face and if I would have had a mirror at the moment I would have seen that smile curing upwards, paradoxically, probably wrapped in an enigma. And looking at my three beautiful children, I answered,
"....and a lot more...."



I have often wondered through the years what "a lot more" meant when my Mother mentioned the List so long ago. And after thirty-two years of marriage, five years of courtship (because I wanted to make sure) and three kids later, I now know what Mom meant. I did get everything on my list...and a lot more.