Christmas miracle

My kids knew most of what they were getting this year--it is hard to surprise them when you concede the surprise and let them go shopping with you instead. The idea of gift cards really doesn't excite me so I figured i would take them shopping instead and that way they would have something to open(even if they knew what it was) and be excited about their new outfits. I am here to tell you it was great fun--I enjoyed my time with them and the best part is in knowing that they are thrilled with what they were getting--the returns were limited to what we over bought in our adventure but not because they didn't like something--they just found something they liked more. So with them knowing the majority of their gifts I still wanted to come up with a few surprises--something I knew that each kid would love and have NO idea that it was coming. I did succeed--but the funniest gift that was loved the most was a frying pan. Now this pan was not for me of even my oldest who will be leaving the nest in the future. No, this pan was for my 12 year old little punk. When he picked up the wrapped gift he did guess what it was (it is kinda hard to disguise a pan when you wrap it as such--the shape sorta gave it away) and he was excited. After all the wrapping paper had been cleaned up and we had settled into the relaxing Christmas day he whipped out the pan and proceeded to cook for me. He made the perfect hash browns--and while he was cooking them he made the comment that "this was a good pan, it really retains its heat well". Are these normal 12 year old boy comments? I don't think so. But that is not the Christmas miracle---it came after he had fed me and had finished using his pan for the moment. Now in the past when he is done cooking, the pan might have been put in the sink for me to take care of later--but not on this day. This cute boy lovingly took his pan--
HE WASHED IT--
DRIED IT--
and, (be sitting for this one)
HE PUT IT AWAY!!!
I could hardly believe my eyes--was this really happening?
First cleaning without complaints and now he was doing a job without being asked from start to finish. It was almost to much for my heart to take. A few days later I over heard a conversation with a "friend" about his pan and what he was capable of whipping up. He was kinda flirty and bragging about his "skills" when i asked him who he was speaking to--"Just a friend mom" "Do they have a name" i responded? When he finally told me it was a "girl" friend i told him to hang up. I am not ready to have him start cooking for other woman yet. I have a feeling in the years to come he will be impressing the ladies with his cooking skills. They are good now but i can see the future.....especially when he says to me "Mom, next year for Christmas I think you should get me a good set of knives" and he was not talking about the ones you whittle with.......