Five Long, Wonderful Years

Sam and Austin got back from Florida and were very glad to see Michael. After all, a week is a long time to be away when your toddler is growing up so quickly. Michael was very glad to see them, as well. With the honeymoon over, it was time for married life to begin.

The months continued to fly by and soon Sam and Austin had reached a big milestone. They had now been together for five years. They planned to have a dinner to celebrate.

November 3rd, 2006

"Hey, Michael!" called Sam, walking into the classroom. Michael had started preschool at the end of August. He went every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8 to noon and enjoyed it. He was learning a lot and making friends. Sam and Austin had figured only four hours a day, three days a week was enough for a two-year-old.

"Mommy!" called Michael, running toward Sam. She picked him up and gave him a big hug.

"How was school today?" Sam asked as they walked out to the car. "Did you have fun?"

Michael nodded.

"What did you learn today?" Sam continued, putting Michael in his carseat.

"Wainbows!"

"You learned about rainbows?"

"Yeah."

"That sounds like fun."

"Make painting," added Michael, handing a piece of paper to Sam. it was Michael's attempt at painting a rainbow. It was really just streaks of color rather than a true rainbow, but it wasn't bad at all for a two-year-old.

"That's very pretty, Michael," complimented Sam. "Let's get home and have a nice, special dinner with Daddy!"

"Yay!" exclaimed Michael, as they started for home.

Soon after they arrived, Austin was also home. Once dinner was ready, the three sat down at the table. Austin and Sam were eating on china, but Michael had his own ZooPal plate with separate compartments. He was having the same food they were eating, though-baked chicken, steamed broccoli and Italian bread.

"Michael really likes these little ZooPal compartment plates," said Austin. "They help to keep his foods separate, which he likes."

"Yeah," said Sam. "Chicken on the face, broccoli in the left ear and bread in the right ear."

"Piggy pwate!" called Michael, when he saw the place setting.

"Yes, and what does the piggy say?" asked Sam.

"Oink, oink, oink!" replied Michael.

Sam then put dinner on all the plates, and after saying the blessing, they were ready to eat.

"Do you like the chicken, Michael?" asked Austin, seeing that Michael was devouring it.

"No," said Michael, grinning.

"Oh, I think you do, considering you're gobbling it all up," said Sam.

"No."

"Whatever you say."

After finishing dinner and having vanilla ice cream with hot fudge for dessert, Sam and Austin put on Sesame Street for Michael to watch while they cleaned up the kitchen and talked.

"Can you believe it?" asked Austin. "We've been a couple for five years now."

"I know. It seems like only yesterday," said Sam. "How can we already have been married for almost five months."

"Forget that, how do we have a two-year-old?" pointed out Austin, looking at Michael.

"Five long, wonderful years," added Sam. "They go by fast, don't they?"

"Sure do," Austin agreed. Michael alone was proof of that. He was no longer a baby, but a walking, talking little boy. The five years that Sam and Austin had been together had been amazing, and they hoped the next five years would be, too.