I found his soccer“trading card”at age six and a Mother，s Day card from the year he was nine with coupons for extra chores，neck rubs，and breakfast in bed. I found an award Nick won in the second grade for top sales in a school fundraiser. First place in the entire elementary school. Even at the age of seven，he had a way with people. Next I found an envelope addressed to Nick in my own handwriting.
“For Nick to read when he is grown，”the envelope said. I have a tradition of writing letters to my kids at different times in their lives and saving them to read when they are older. This particular letter I had written to my son，now age twenty-one，was dated Mother，s Day fifteen years ago. He had been in kindergarten，and reading it brought back memories of a day I realized what a truly selfless，kind child I had been blessed with.
Dear Nicholas，
Today was Mother，s Day. As I watch your beautiful sleeping face，I wanted to write this letter to give you later so you will always know how much joy you bring me.
You gave me the best present I，ve ever received today！ It has a little story behind it that I will treasure forever. You have been diligently saving your allowance for weeks to buy some material for Grandma to make a teepee for you. You had 7.00 saved last week，but you asked me to take you to a nearby boutique where handmade crafts (which I love！) were sold. You were so cute， watching me as I looked at things，and if I liked something，you would ask how much it cost. We found an adorable little teddy bear with an antique lace collar and a ribbon tied around its neck and a ring attached. You pretended you loved it and even tried on the ring. You were very sneaky for a five year-old！ You bought the bear all by yourself and said you were sorry，but you spent all your money and would just make me something for Mother，s Day. (I would have loved anything you made！)
This morning you woke me up with a big grin and a package wrapped in paper towels and duct tape. You were so proud and excited！ There inside was the little bear that I will always treasure. You sacrificed your teepee for me.
I am so proud of your sweet，generous spirit and the many ways every single day that you bring me joy. You are truly special and I am honored to be your mom.
Love，Mom
I still have the bear and the little ring. And Nick did get his teepee. I smile at the memories and place my letter for Nick in an envelope to mail to him. I hope reading it will remind him what a miracle he is and how blessed I feel to be his mother.
Also tucked inside the“Nick”box was a little Zip-lock bag with a tiny baby tooth.“Nick，s first tooth”was written in marker on the bag，and a folded piece of lined grade-school handwriting paper was stapled to the bag. I carefully removed the paper and read the note in his awkward，just-learning-how-to-write printing.
Dear Tooth Fairy，
I love you. Please leave me a lot of money.
From your best friend，Nick.
P.S： Don，t keep my tooth.
I laughed until I cried. How I missed my little guy！
Now twenty-one，Nick has his own life and a fiancee . I know it won，t be long before he has children of his own. I pictured him with a little one on his knee，helping her write her first letter to the Tooth Fairy.
Each page in his school years book had a small school photo for that grade glued to it. If I flipped the pages fast，like a homemade cartoon flip-book，I could see the transformation from pre-school to a senior in high school. It was like watching him morph into an adult right before my eyes.
This unexpected trip down memory lane was the best way I could think of to spend my Saturday. This is one box I will never unpack and put away. It，s definitely one to keep close by and on days when my heart longs for my first-born，I will dig it out，open a box of tissues，and let the memories come home again.
搬到新房子快一年了，我才决定把最后几个盒子都打开整理一下。在这堆盒子底下不起眼的地方，有一个盒子，上面只标注了两个字“尼克”。看见我的大儿子的名字，我本来空落落的心顿时为之一阵兴奋，他现在可是 住在离我1100多英里远的地方啊。
在接下来的几个小时里，我带着愉悦的心情细细地翻看着盒子里的那些画儿、奖状和成绩报告单，记忆的大门 就此大开，尼克的儿时场景又回到家中，一幕幕在我眼前浮现。
我找到了他六岁时收藏的足球球星“交换卡”，还有他九岁时送给我的母亲节贺卡，上面还画了很多“优惠券 ”，表示他可以额外提供做家务、帮我揉脖子、送早餐到床边等服务。我还找到了尼克上二年级时得的一张奖 状，奖励他在学校的筹集善款活动中卖东西卖得最多——在全小学里排名第一位。当时他只有七岁，但向人推 销起东西来却很有一套。接着，我又找到了一个信封，信是写给尼克的，信封上的笔迹是我的。
信封上写着“致长大后的尼克”。我有一个习惯，就是在孩子成长的不同阶段都给他们写信，并把这些信都保 存下来，留到他们长大以后再读。现在尼克已经21岁了，这是我当初写给他的一封特殊的信，信上的日期是15 年前的母亲节。那会儿他还在上幼儿园。读着这封信，我渐渐回想起那天发生的点点滴滴，正是在那一天，我 意识到上帝赐给了我一个多么无私、善良的孩子。
亲爱的尼古拉斯：
今天是母亲节。我看着你睡梦中漂亮的小脸，想给你写下这封信，等你长大后交给你。这样，你就会知道，你 给我带来了多少欢乐。
今天，你送给了我一份迄今为止最好的礼物！它的背后有一个小故事，我将会把它永远珍藏于心。这几个星期，你一直在辛苦地积攒零花钱，为的是买些布料让奶奶给你缝一个帐篷。上周，你终于攒够了7美元，但你却让 我带你去附近的一个精品店转转，那儿专卖一些手工艺品(是我的最爱！)。你真的好可爱，我看东西的时候，你就在一边观察我，要是看见我喜欢什么，你就会问这东西多少钱。我们发现了一个非常可爱的小泰迪熊：古 典的蕾丝领口，脖子上围了一条丝带，丝带上还系了一枚戒指。你假装很喜欢它，甚至还试了试那枚戒指。对 于一个只有五岁的孩子来说，你还真挺狡猾的呢！你用自己的钱买下了这只小熊，还跟我说你很抱歉，但因为 你把自己所有的钱都花了，母亲节就只能自己做个礼物送我了。(无论你做什么我都会喜欢！)
今天早晨，你把我叫醒，脸上是灿烂的笑容，手里拿着一个用纸巾和胶带包好的包裹。你看上去既自豪又兴奋 ！包裹里正是你买的那只小熊，我将永远珍藏。为了我，你放弃了你的帐篷。
我为你的贴心与慷慨而自豪，更为你每一天带给我的快乐而骄傲。你真是一个特别的孩子，能做你的妈妈真是 我的荣幸！
爱你的妈妈
我到现在还保留着那个小熊和那枚小小的戒指。尼克后来也得到了他的帐篷。想到这一段往事，我欣然微笑，然后把这封我写给尼克的信装进了一个信封里，准备寄给他。我希望他读这封信时能够知晓：他是怎样的一个 奇迹；而作为他的妈妈，我又何其有幸！
在这个“尼克”盒子里，还塞有一个小自封袋，里面是一颗小小的乳牙。袋子的标签上写着“尼克的第一颗牙 ”。和袋子订在一起的还有一张折起来的纸，这是一张小学生练写字用的横格纸。我很小心地把纸拆了下来，看着这张字体有些笨拙的纸条，一看就是刚开始学写字的孩子写的。纸条上写着：
亲爱的牙仙：
我爱你。请给我好多好多钱吧。
你最好的朋友，尼克
另：请把我的牙齿还给我吧。
我大笑起来，直笑得泪流满面。我多么怀念我的小家伙啊！
尼克现在21岁了，有了自己的生活，还有了未婚妻。我知道，很快他也会有自己的孩子。我想象着有一个小宝 贝坐在他的膝上，他抱着她，帮她给牙仙写第一封信。
在他学校纪念册的每一页上，都贴有一张学校的小照片，对应他上的年级。要是我像翻自制的动画书那样快速 地翻这本册子，我就能看到尼克从学前班到高中的每一步变化。就像是我看着他在我面前长大成人。
这次不经意间的重温往事是我能想到的度过这个周六的最好办法。这是一个我永远不会打开之后就束之高阁的 盒子。这无疑是一个要随时随地放在身边的盒子，当我想念我第一个孩子的时候，我会把它拿出来，再打开一 盒纸巾，让记忆再次回家。
pore
【释义】n. 气孔；小孔 vt. 使注视 vi. 细想；凝视；熟读
【短语】pore structure 孔结构，孔隙结构，细孔结构；sweat pore 汗孔
coupon
【释义】n. 息票；赠券；联票；[经] 配给券
【短语】coupon rate 孳息率，息票利率，票面利率
chore
【释义】n. 家庭杂务；日常的零星事务；讨厌的或累人的工作
【短语】chore boy 临时工人；household chore 家庭琐事
fundraiser
【释义】n. 资金筹集人；资金筹集活动
【短语】professional fundraiser 职业筹款者，专业募款人员
allowance
【释义】n. 津贴，零用钱；允许；限额 vt. 定量供应
【短语】rental allowance 住房补贴；make allowances for 对……留有余地
teepee
【释义】n.（美）圆锥形帐篷
boutique
【释义】n. 精品店；专卖流行衣服的小商店 adj. 精品屋的
【短语】boutique hotel 精品酒店，精品旅馆
adorable
【释义】adj. 可爱的；可敬重的，值得崇拜的
【短语】adorable animals 可爱的动物
The Sunday School Teacher/ 周日学校的老师
