It Wasn’t That Bad
Intro…
Many thoughts that I have on how I reared my three children, the good over-rules my thinking. The fun we had, the laughter. Of course, there was self-sacrificing they all endured when I had my 4 complete and total breakdowns between 1987 thru 1990. {Then again 4 complete and total breakdowns in 2008 thru 2011 they had witnessed as adults} It has been over 11 years since my last break.
Mark And The Fly
I remember after we had moved from California, and it was a weekend and chores had to be done. We lived in a 4-bedroom 2 bath mobile home. I had recently bought 3 extra fly swatters, for a total of 4 swatters. I was getting tired of killing flies on my own and was going to pay the kids $1.00 a dead fly. So, I handed a fly swatter to each of my children with said instructions. They all had a solemn look on their faces as they took the swatters. A chore is a chore no matter how much you pay and back then I’m thinking this is easy money for them. So, I am vacuuming, a chore they were supposed to do because I had wanted them to concentrate on those nasty old flies. So, Mark comes up to me with a dead fly between his two fingers a few moments later. Excellent I’m thinking it is working. So, out loud I say, “Mark is getting a dollar for the first dead fly!” Another moment goes by and Mark comes back with a dead fly in the palm of his right hand. “Mark is getting another dollar for a dead fly!” On Mark’s 4th dead fly Cheryl pipes up, “Mom! Mark is using the same dead fly!” I instantly saw the humor in this but had to be serious… bottom line I never paid for a chore again before as well as after this incidence. Thinking back, I still find this humorous.
Cheryl and Louie
We had horses not so long after we moved to Nevada. We bought Louie for me to ride along with Cheryl when she rode Kachina. I didn’t want her to ride alone off the property. Along with having horses, there is horse doozers that had to be picked up. I had all of the three work together on this chore because I believed in teamwork and working together no matter whose job it is the chore should be shared. The buddy system. So, I am monitoring this chore from time to time to supervise the 3 of them. When I see from inside the house by the patio door where I am standing, Louie cocking his tail to poop and Cheryl placing her manure fork right under his tail. Good grief I thought, that is one way of doing it! Dang if she didn’t get all of it at one time.
Marie and the Blazer
Inside the Blazer was a bench seat that the kids sat on whenever I drove this monster of a vehicle. It was always a given to smell gas from time to time. So, I say out loud, “I smell something” and Marie says quite happily, “Body wash, scented candles, cotton candy, chocolate chip cookies!” I say, “I smell gas!” Marie excitedly exclaims, “I love the smell of gas!” Cheryl quips in as she sat in the middle of her brother and sister, “Marie! I farted!” Instantly we all start laughing!
In the Blazer again… Marie has a tendency of multiple sneezing. “Achoo, achoo, achoo, achoo!” goes Marie and Mark doesn’t miss a beat…” Woo Ahoo chug a chug chug a chug Woo Ahoo!” Hilarious!
My Mom is the….
One breakfast morning as the kids sat eating. I was in the kitchen looking at my coffee cup quite seriously. ‘My Mom Is The Best’ I read and thinking to myself, ‘Yeah, my kids thought enough of me to buy this cup for me!’ Then Mark joyfully said looking at his sisters, “My mom is the beast!” All laughing hysterically. Good one!!
Everyone
Friday evening, kids at home. No sleepovers and not a thing going on at school. All three of them complaining how bored they were. UGH! “Well,” I say, “I guess it is pity party time!” They all look at me with surprised looks on their faces. “Get your shoes on and let’s go!” Stubbornly and with a bit of a tude we leave the house. “Where are we going?” “You’ll see, it’s pity party time!” Silence in the vehicle. We drive into the Walmart parking lot. “Get a shopping cart and let’s go!” We are in the water aisle. “Each of you get a liter of soda pop!” Attitudes changing! Chip aisle. “Each of you get a big bag of chips and don’t forget your dips!” Candy aisle. “Each of you get a bag of candy!” Happiness galore! I chinsed on the movie selection, but no one cared at that point and by the time we got to the checkout they had decided on what movie they had wanted to watch at home. So, at checkout, I say, “I guess this isn’t a good idea for a pity party, maybe we should take everything back!” And they all exclaimed on how they were all wanting to do this and what fun they are going to have at home. “I guess bedtime at ten as usual for a Friday night?” I say as we were headed home. Crickets. “Well, I suppose midnight is a good time to be in bed?” Animation again from everyone and I stipulated this is the first and last pity party so don’t ever ask me. And they never did.
Proverbs 17:22 ESV
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
I am not trying to minimize all what happened and all the sad events my children went through during all of my breaks. I am not saying here I had become the perfect mom. I had always been strict with my children; I have always been honest. I have always reared them to be God-fearing and to Love The Lord Jesus Christ. It has always been do as I do, do as I say. I have never repeated my past mistakes as a young adult in front of them. I have given them good structure and good work ethics. No matter what had gone on with them I had done my best.