Happy 9th Birthday Micah Mookers!

I remember how excited I was that you were coming. I was ready for a baby and ready or not here you came on August 3, 1999. I was ready. You were a gift and continue to be one that we unwrap every day. Every day is exciting with you and unpredictable. You are your own person and I hope you are as proud of yourself as I am proud of you. You have been a trooper this year and adapted to whatever life has thrown at you. Thank you dear boy!

You and I went to the movie this past Thursday to see Space Chimps. You asked before we left if you could have popcorn and a Dr. Pepper when we got there. I told you “No, we don’t buy the popcorn and Drinks at the movie Micah because you have to take a loan out to pay for it”. You asked me if you had enough money in your bank if you could pay for your own. I said, “Yes” thinking how grown up you’ve become to actually want to use your own money. We get to the show and I paid for the tickets, “One child and one Senior Citizen please”. We grab our change and tickets before they are sucked into oblivion by this unknown source of wind that sucks the paper money and the tickets out the little window if you don't clamp on them as soon as the money and tickets come through. I wonder how much money has been lost and how much running people have done while chasing their money and tickets down the street!

Once inside you walk up to the counter and place three one dollar bills on the counter and 75 cents and a guitar pick. You look seriously at the blank faced kid behind the counter and say, “I have 3 bucks, 75 cents and a guitar pick, will that buy popcorn and a Dr. Pepper?" The kid doesn’t blink an eye, “I don’t play the guitar”, he says. I nearly fall over from laughter. I look the kid in the eye and say, “Give this boy a Dr. Pepper and small popcorn”. He does, I pay and you scrape your guitar pick and money back into your flexible rubber change container and off we go into the movie. You and I enjoy that popcorn and I have a bottle of water in my purse to drink.

Later you try this same line with the kid at Game Stop for a game. The kid looks at you like he can’t believe you are trying to barter a $39.00 game with 3 dollars and 75 cents and a guitar pick. I laugh and make Micah put the game back. I will buy that game for you and Logan’s birthdays when you are not with me. It’s a Space Chimps WII game and it will take two players! Good! You and your brother will both get to share and play the game together.

Happy Birthday dear comedian Micah Mookers. That is a pet name we’ve had for you for years. You used to tell people your name was Micah Mooooooookers. Now you tell me, "Memaw don’t embarrass me out in public with that name!" Ahhhh, the price of becoming older and more sophisticated…

We all love you Micah Templin Harris! May you have a tremedously successful and happy year. Tomorrow you will be 9. It seems like yesterday I was holding you and singing You Are My Sunshine.