Pokemon 101

Who would've thought that Pokemon could bring a smile to my face? I have no clue how to even play Pokemon. I know it's a card game and I think it works with points. Each card has a number or a value and you play against other people to win their cards (I think). If this is what my 7-year-old wants to talk to me about, you bet I'm going to listen.
Every morning we get into the car and listen to the radio while we wait for the bus. Today was slightly different. I pulled into our usual carline spot and drank my coffee while my son flipped through his Pokemon binder. I was worried that he thought he was going to be able to take it with him to school and told him I'd prefer if it stayed with me until he got home. He started to tell me about the game and how the Legendary cards held the highest value. I found myself staring at his cute little hands and thinking about when he was a baby and how I used to rub that part on his wrist where the chub meets the hand. The part that looks like an elastic band is separating the hand from the arm. Do you know what I'm talking about? It's like Baby 101 cuteness. I was still listening to him but years and years of his life were flashing through my mind as he explained the value of different cards. I could tell he was really concentrating on what he was telling me and he hadn't even looked up once. I kept asking myself in my head how on earth we'd gotten to this point where he was old enough to be explaining a card game to me. Raising him has been hard but it was like all of a sudden I couldn't believe how fast these 7 years have gone by being his mom. At times, I feel like I've blinked and now he's this young boy who is teaching me things.
I'm an emotional person. That's just part of my makeup. So, I'll admit, I was starting to get a little teary-eyed when he looked up at me and said, "Mom, you should get your own pack of cards so that we can play together when I get home from school."
Ummm, yes, totally. Is it weird that I was really excited that my son had just asked me to play Pokemon with him? The game that he plays with his friends and has never talked to me about until now? You better believe that I have just added 'buying Pokemon cards' to my to-do list today. And I will definitely be Googling how to play this game just so I can hold my own. If this is how my son wants to bond with me than I'm going to give it my best try.
I did end up letting him take the binder to school. I figured it was a battle not worth fighting.