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A phone call from far away

Munchkin's HabitatIt was finally a nice enough day around here on Friday that I brought out the Munchkin’s biggest Christmas gift from last year – a Playhut tent and tunnel set-up that my brother, the Captain, and my sister-in-law gave her. It was this gigantic box under the tree, and my mother even wrapped it. We’ve been hiding it in the garage, waiting for a nice day to set it up in the backyard.

Friend came by with the boys for lunch/playdate on Friday. The Brain saw the box sitting by the back door. “What’s that?” he asked.

“What does it look like?” I asked him.

“It looks like a tent.”

“Yes, it is. It’s like the tent and tunnel that you have at your house. The Munchkin’s aunt and uncle gave it to her for Christmas, and we’re going to take it outside and play with it today.”

The Brain, who can read, saw the 3 room, 2 tunnel, 50 ball package and sighed. “I wish my aunt and uncle had gotten that for me for Christmas.”

The kids all enjoyed playing with it, and I snapped a few pictures. Then I had the Webmaster send them off in an email to the Captain. I knew that he would enjoy seeing his niece play with the toys that he’d given her. Everyone likes to know that the gifts that they give get put to good use.

Saturday morning, we were preparing to drive down to visit the Webmaster’s parents and grandmother (a 2 and 1/2 hour drive), when the phone rang. It was the Captain! I hadn’t talked to him personally in at least a month. It was near the end of Saturday in Baghdad, and he had the next day off, so he was looking forward to relaxing a little bit. He’d gotten the Webmaster’s email with the pictures of the Munchkin playing with her tents.Peek-a-boo!

I told him what the Brain had said. He started to laugh. “Yes! I win the “best uncle” award!” He had claimed that title when he’d bought the tents for her at Christmastime, and he was pleased to have proof of it now.

We talked about the kids, and his upcoming R&R at the end of this month, when he will finally get to meet his baby daughter, who was born in March. (Her blog name will be Belle, as in “southern”, since she was born in Alabama.) I will get to see Belle for myself in July, when my sister-in-law comes here for a visit.

Finally, I managed to get the Munchkin on the phone to her uncle. With some prompting, I got her to talk to him. “Hi, Unca Jona-sen. Dank you for tent! I miss you. I love you. Bye!”

His nephew and namesake said a few da-da-da’s into the phone, as well, which he also enjoyed.

I’m glad that the technology exists that he can call us, and that we can exchange emails. And I’m glad that technology enabled both of us to brighten each other’s lives with a few pictures, one email and a phone call from the other side of the world.

One Response to “A phone call from far away”

  1. Little Cousin's Mommy
    May 8th, 2006 07:16
    1

    “Belle”! I like that! So what about Belle’s mom? Is she now stuck as “Belle’s Mommy”? And do I EVER get something else than “Little Cousin’s Mommy”?