Rory

It’s Apple Cider Mill season in Michigan, and yesterday Rory & Holly invited me to accompany them, Lyla, & Owen to Blakes Cider Mill.  We took a hay ride on the back of a tractor, with Lyla and Owen dangling their feet and pointing out all of the props for the haunted hay ride at night.  We walked through wet grass, trying not to trip on all of the apples that had already fallen to the ground, filled a bag with Pink Lady apples, and then hopped on the tractor to head back.  After that, we petted goats, ponies, and rabbits, laughed at polka-dotted chickens, and helped the kids climb to the top of the haystack.  Then we watched as the kids rode these (I’m not even sure what to call them), bike things – kind of like a tractor crossed with a tricycle kind of bike…   and then I watched as my nearly 30-year-old son’s forever inner child came out.  He jumped onto one of the tricycle thingies and rode around with the kids…

Now, I’m pretty certain he wondered why in the world his mother video’d him, and why I got such a big kick out of him, but, if you’re a mom, you will get this!  You know those moments when you just wish with every ounce of yourself, that you could go back to your kids being little so you could snuggle them just once more, or watch them play, or just be your little one for a little while longer?  Well, that’s what that felt like for me yesterday.

My son worked really hard to get through college at Wayne State University.  He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Special Education, and went on to teach, mentor, coach, and love a classroom full of children for a couple of years, as well as coach middle school football, and then…  he became a Dad.

Not having grown up with a father during all but two years of his life, Rory wasn’t going to let his children grow up without a Dad around.  He studied to take the Michigan real estate exam, and once he passed, he began selling real estate on the side.  When he found himself established enough to sell real estate full time, he courageously stopped teaching and began selling real estate so that he could be present for his wife, and their children.

I understood that thought process, because I had worked full time from home doing medical transcription, and not one hour did my children ever spend in day care…   ever.  I was home when they left for school in the morning, and I was home when they returned, and never, ever did I lose sight of what a blessing it was, especially as a single parent, to have that opportunity.  Rory watched as God always, always provided, so he knew God would continue to take care of him.  Now, he is a very present, involved, loving husband and father – one that is not afraid to cram himself into an oversized tricycle and ride bikes with his toddlers, and a gentleman who still holds the door for his wife, and gives his Mum a kiss goodbye.

Rory’s second grade teacher once told me that she always observed him looking out for the “underdog,” watching out for whoever might feel left out, and making sure he helped make them feel included.  I once watched him give away $35 that he had just earned an hour earlier helping me to clean a house during nursing school, to a homeless man, while I went inside to pay for gas.  While stopped at a red light once at Utica & 15 Mile Road, he and his brother jumped out of the car to help a woman whose car was stuck in snow.

Rory is a Real Estate Agent because Rory puts his wife and children first.  Rory is a Real Estate Agent because he really does put people’s needs first.  He’s not out to become a big shot, or to make much of himself.  He’s in the business of helping people find places to call home, and he’s got this great big piece of his heart that pretty much belongs to single Mama’s and Veterans (and I’m so grateful for that).

Yesterday, God gave me one of those moments in time when I got to see my grownup Rory act like my little Rory again, and I won’t forget it.  (God likes to do cool stuff like that for His kids!)  I hope He gives some of those to my son in 20 years, too.

I’m feeling a little sappy today, after having just spent four days with Ian, and then getting to spend a couple of hours with Rory yesterday, so I’m just gonna throw this out there…

Got a real estate need?  Then, you need to call my son at MacDon & Associates.  I know I’m biased because I’m his Mum, but he really is the best.  Just sayin’!   (586) 306-8800.