It Is The Thought That Counts

Our son became a teenager this year.  People warned me, "Watch out when he turns thirteen, he's going to forget where he left his brain."  Three days into thirteen, he placed his cell phone, his almost-new iPod in is favorite skaters hat, left them on a desk at school and {POOF}, they were gone.  I had this sick feeling in my stomach that it was only the beginning of what our friends had warned us about.  Eleven and twelve were a constant challenge.  There were days that if I saw his eyes roll in his head one more time....... Somehow at thirteen, that über-annoying habit faded away!

I have been a life-long tea drinker.  For some time now, I've dreamed of opening a tea room.  Whether that dream will ever come to fruition, I always am on the hunt for an old advertisements or tea tins, that someday will become part of the decor of my tea room.

My in-laws recently retired to Connecticut, in an area loaded with antique shops.  We found a favorite one, the type of place that has a little something for every antique collector, or the casual shopper who can't resist it's treasures.

Last Sunday, after visiting the in-laws, we stopped there on our way out of town.  It's called the Clinton Antique Center. After a few minutes of looking around, my husband informed me that our son would like me to go sit in the car.  It was accompanied by one of those looks that I should just do it, you know the kind, the one that has a cryptic little smile with it.  Okay!  I needed a minute to pay for a tea cup that I had been looking for. Then I was nestled in the car with my own little smile on my face, wondering what my boys were up to.

It wouldn't be long to wait and wonder.  Christmas morning revealed three lovely little surprises in the forms of two antique tea and one antique cocoa tins.

My sweet, funny, and yes, occasionally irritating 13-year-old, went in there with a mission.  He wanted to give me something that he knew I would love.  Something that I would look at and think of him.  Something to help my dream along a little bit further.  He put thought into these three gifts, but moreover, he put his heart into them.

Case in point that it really is the thought that counts.  What a lucky Mum I am!

My Christmas presents were the Monarch Tea, the Boston Tea and the Monarch Cocoa tins.