Sometimes, as a mom, I watch my children make mistakes and wonder "what have I done? what did I forget to teach? where did I go wrong?" but sometimes, .........sometimes, my children do things that stop me in my tracks and make me think that maybe I have done something right. Then, after feeling that joy for a moment I realize I don't deserve the credit for teaching them something useful, THEY have earned the glory by learning and adapting and growing each day into amazing young people. and now for the story...........................................................................
Saturday morning! A beautiful Sunny day, not too hot. The birds are singing. There is a nice breeze. The grass is calling to me to be cut. Rollin and Tucker are riding bikes up and down the drive way and through and around the front yard. Fynneus is half naked.
I took a few big gulps of my now luke warm green tea, and tried to force a little excitement towards Fynneus about "helping mommy mow the grass". I got myself dressed and Fynn too. (I find it funny that he likes to be naked on the bottom but if he IS going to wear shorts then he HAS to have shoes on.) Fynn and I joined the other two boys out side and I was getting the shed opened up when I heard crying from the front yard. It sounded to me like Rollins whiny cry so I didn't respond with haste, but as I made my way closer I realized it was Tucker and he was hurt. I ran to him and soothed him. He had turned the handlebars too sharply while riding his bike and crashed on our driveway. I'm sure it hurt, but there where no injuries to speak of. Then Fynn and I together headed back to the shed and backed the lawn mower out. His excitement was genuine now. As I mowed I could here him talking, loudly even, but I could not make out a single word. Eventually I felt him relax and then he pulled my hand and arm up around him, as if to say "hold me tighter". I did. He fell fast asleep. He had been asleep for thirty to forty five minutes when Tucker came running out to me. I was at the back of the yard so as he got closer I stopped and turned the blades off. The engine was still running so He shouted to me, asking if he could have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I smiled at him and shook my head to say yes. He smiled back, turned and ran all the way back to the house. I kept smiling and even giggled a little when I thought of the mess that might occur. I went on mowing and Fynn slept a good while longer, when he finally woke up he seemed a bit startled but quickly relaxed again and enjoyed the rest of the ride. I parked in the shade and shut the mower down. Then I swung my leg over his little head and hopped off so that he could climb down himself. He look at me and smiled and asked "vhus dat so tool?" I had to agree that is was really cool. As we walked to the house I remembered the pb&j sandwiches and knowing that there was probably a big sticky mess, reminded myself to keep cool. I saw Rollin opening the fridge and was tempted to tell him to "get out of there" but then I realized that he was putting the jelly away! Tucker had already made and eaten his sandwich, WITHOUT making a mess at all! Then Rollin had made himself a sandwich without making a mess at all! Then he had remembered to put the pb and J back in the fridge! Wow! And this is the event that provoked the revelation I wrote about at the beginning of my post.
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