Sunday, June 14, 2009

The Things We Do For Love

I have one sister who is five years older than me. When I was in high school (in Ohio) she was already married and living in Georgia. About once every six weeks or so my mom and dad would torture me by dragging me on a road trip. We would pack up the sedan, dad driving, mom riding shot gun while I held the pooch in the back seat. The drive was a little over nine hours. If we left as soon as dad got in from work on Friday and drove straight through we would make it just in time to hug each other hello and good night then go to sleep. After church on Sunday, it was a quick burger then back in the car. Once we drove the nine hours to see a special program at my sisters church and drove home the very next day. CRAZY!!

Well, mom and dad, today we did something equally as crazy. We got our entire crew up and ready then drove two hours to hear our oldest speak for 15 minutes, stayed to eat lunch with him then got back on the road for another two hours.

He is a youth ministry intern and preached his first sermon this morning. Proud doesn't begin to describe what I felt today. To see my son in this capacity and hear him speak, I would've driven nine hours like my parents did way back when.

All the time in the vehicle however can make one a little loony. That was the case today. I turned around in my seat just in time to see my five year old licking his shoe. Yes, literally! I simply said, "Please, don't lick your shoe." Then I turned to my husband and said, "That's something I never thought I would be saying as a parent." He smiled, I chuckled then we both broke out into a roaring laugh. I grabbed a piece of paper and pencil and began a list of things we never thought we'd have to say as parents but have actually had to say to our children.....
1. Don't lick your shoe.
2. Don't eat the deodorant.
3. Don't put socks in the wall.
4. Help me find the turtle in the pool.
5. Don't poop in the creek.
6. No bodily fluids of any kind on the walls.
7. Don't flush the legos...band aids...marbles...money...down the toilet.
8. No more reading today...you're grounded.
9. Don't color the dog.
10. Call the sheriff, there's another horse in our yard.

So, what have you said to your children that you never thought you'd have to say? I would love to hear your additions to this list.

2 comments:

  1. " Don't let your sister pick your nose!" (babies go exploring you know.)

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  2. I'm sitting at the library for story time and over heard one mother say to another that she found two worms in her washing machine this week. I imagine she's had to say to her son....don't put worms in your pocket.

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