The thirty year mustache came off this week! When I met Angus in college he had a full beard. Every autumn he and his 3 brothers grew their beards, every spring they shaved them off. He continued that tradition until he started working for UPS. Their drivers aren’t allowed to have beards. But the mustache always stayed.

Last week he shaved it off. I have no idea why he did. Funny though that I didn’t even notice it when he first came downstairs afterwards. I was busy in the kitchen and we talked a minute and I wasn’t really noticing him. A few minutes later we sat down together and I DID notice. I took a huge inhaled breath, totally shocked, and he just grinned.

The boys flomped into the house Saturday, after a week of counseling at church camp and they were full of fun and stories. I listened with joy as they unpacked and talked, then I suggested they go find their Dad and let him know they were home.

A few minutes later I heard hysterical laughing coming from upstairs. I wondered what was so funny. Down the stairs they tumbled, barely able to speak for their red-faced laughter. “Hey, Mom. Uncle Mike is upstairs!” I’d gotten somewhat used to seeing Angus without the ‘stache and had forgotten that the boys hadn’t seen it yet. They took one look at him and burst into laughter. He does look more like his brother Mike, now, than himself.