perks and gold and mattresses

there really is one heck of a gorgeous side of
not having a ton of money.
yeah, i actually said that.

yo's birthday is tomorrow....
and we're starting the celebrating today!
and yeah, i bought way more than i usually do
because he does so much work for me that he
doesn't get paid for. i want to repay him somehow.
so i'm tryin' to treat him right on his 21st
birthday.

the first thing i got him is an extra long mattress.
cause the guy is an extra long guy.

a mattress?? you ask???
that doesn't sound too exciting....

ahhh! but that's the glory side of the tight budget
stuff.

i have wanted to get him one for years. but he's
always said what he had was fine. and yeah, he's always
looking out for the budget. he tells me no, don't get it.

i decided to just get it without asking him.

so i'm like a little kid over here waiting for the
mattress to get delivered.
the delivery guys are wonderin' what my problem is
as i'm dancin' around all excited over this thing.

we pull yo out, eyes closed to the driveway....

make a big deal out of it. have him stand in front of
it to see if he fits before he even opens his eyes and
knows what it is.

zakk makes him carry it in all by himself.
'he can do it, he's strong' zakk grins.

we set it up in the living room first.
right smack in the middle of everything.
we gotta try it out~!

we all take turns laying on it.
another package is brought out.
all wrapped up.

the sheets!!!!
ohhhhhh......
and we ohhh and ahhh over the sheets.

then it's time to put it where it goes.

we set it up.
pull out the brand new sheets and we act like
it's the biggest thing that ever happened.
we ooohhh and ahhh and we all try it out
all over again.
we stand around it and admire it.

we carry on like we just got gold.

and THAT'S the beauty side of not always having
a ton of money. cause when you get something
you've really needed and put off....it's like
a piece of heaven.

it was so fun.
and yo's so grateful.
he's really tickled.

over something i should have gotten him years
ago for no other reason besides he needed it -
instead of waiting for his birthday and making
it a big present.

but he's okay with that.
he gets it.
and he appreciates it.

THAT is part of the gold.

i just bought my son a mattress he needed for
years....and i'm dancin' around like a queen
and gigglin' and smilin'......

i don't think we'd have this feeling if it all
came easy.

one day i really do want it all to come easy.

but while it's not, i'm gonna enjoy the perks of
that side of life.

and there are perks to this side of life.

please, god, don't let me ever forget that......