Bridget, Leonard and Megan

Jack and Michael are my gifts from God.  They gave me a reason to get out of bed in the morning, to still have hopes and still have dreams.  Jack wanted a brother so bad that he would cry at night.  He was afraid that his children would not have uncles.  Uncles were an essential element in his mind; he had 13 uncles and 11 aunts at the time.

About a year after Michael was born, I saw a contest for the cutest picture on a “Little Debbie” cake box.  I sent in a picture of Jack holding Michael so gingerly with a huge smile on his face.  I’m not sure what first prize was but we won second prize and were the proud owners of a brand new purple and green calculator.

Michael is eight years younger than Jack.  Rick and I threw caution to the wind one night and I was pregnant with Jack but the second baby was much longer in coming.  I was so traumatized from having Jack that it took five years for me to even consider having a second baby.

 As a teacher I tried to plan the “April, May, June baby” which would give me a maternity leave and then jump back into teaching.  Mating season began each year in July.  After seven years of thinking I was “fertile Myrtle,” I finally went to the doctor.  After several procedures, I was back in business and finally pregnant with Michael.

Jack had waited so long for his little brother.  One day I was walking down the hall at his school with his teacher and Jack dragging behind; he was in second grade.  Mrs. Cardiello said, “I hear that you’ve picked Leonard for a name.” “What?” I was a little shocked. “Actually his name is going to be Michael,” I said, glaring at Jack.

When we got in the car, I looked at Jack and said, “Okay, what’s the story, Mister?”  “There’s a boy in my class that I don’t like and my friends would make fun of the baby if he were called, Michael, so I called him Leonard,” he explained.  “Jack, you don’t even know a Leonard.  Where did that come from?”  I asked.  “Television,” was all he said.

I had wanted girls after all my brothers but God gave me two beautiful, kind, loving boys.  Jack was to be Bridget and Michael was to be named Megan.  They still tease each other about their pseudo names.  Regardless of Jack, Michael, Leonard, Megan or Bridget, they are my precious boys.