Monday night we spent the night out at my mom’s house on a lake because Aaron was out of town and it’s wonderful to have a change of scenery once in a while. Also? A Mini kind of vacation.
Yesterday morning went really well, obviously. I wrote about how wonderful it was to be “Right here” and then something happened. My child (How dare she) went all Independent Agent on me and decided that listening to my voice at any volume was something she was assigned not to do that day.
Only … she forgot that I’m the one who assigns these things and that she must have heard the dreaming version of me when she decided to take orders.
Ehum.
So we had a conversation on our way home from a play-date yesterday morning about how there are rules in school and she has to follow them, yes? So … uh … News flash: There are rules at home and she has to follow them, YES.
We got back to my moms and I had her think about what she would write to me in a letter expressing an apology (see how nice I am, I gave her the idea) and that I would write it but she would need to copy it and then hand it to me.
She decided on:
Dear Mom,
I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you. I love you and miss you when you’re gone.
Love,
Jessica
It came back to me as:
Dear Mom,
I’m sorrg (her y’s look like g’s) twah I bubm’t lusten I love gou amd I miss you wn gone cjome (no idea, random letters)
Love Jessica.
I will keep this forever, of course. I wonder if my mom will keep the letter I left her:
Dear Mom,
Thank you for letting us crash at your house for a night – we loved it, as always. I’m sorry if we left it just shy of the perfection at which your Gay Housecleaner leaves it for you every other week. I love writing that, Gay Housecleaner. Only because I am wickedly jealous. Back on topic: Mom, it doesn’t matter that he’s gay, obviously. I’m not some weird judgmental person. You know this.
Any way. That went downhill fast. Sorry about that. Oh – Um. Oliver ate all of your yogurt single handedly. Also the puddings I think you had for Roger’s lunches. Oliver is the culprit there as well. We also ate your Mac N Cheese, pretzels, some ice cream, eggs, coffee, and a few cans of mandarin oranges (it’s like you KNEW we were coming). I finally made the pizza rolls in the back of the freezer that we left here over the summer and I had an AHA! Moment that maybe keeping it simple with lunches at home means my kids will actually eat them.
Preservatives be damned.
But then again, you are well aware that magic happens here so I’m sure if we went home and I gave them their choice of what I deemed a wonderful lunch option or their own lunch option they’d still eat like birds and complain that we never eat anything they like.
So many wonderful things come from being here. Most importantly the refreshing time for the kids to be able to run around and I can still hear my own thoughts. You hear that???!!? That was me thinking.
Well anyway, this is a long letter to say thank you and that I owe you some groceries. Be aware that Oliver was on his job to make work for Grandpa. The windows, I’m sure, are plenty happy that Oliver was near this week. But counteract that with the fact that I cleaned my van. Actually cleaned it out. With products (which reminds me, you might need more Resolve). I did some laundry and I may or may not have taken ample photos of your crawl space because even though you’re organized I’m sure you can’t keep track of EVERYTHING you have and if something, um, went missing … hee hee. I have a photo of it for your insurance.
Breast Friends Forever,
xoxo
Jodi
You and your mom are so cute! š Loved reading that letter!
yes, yes. love.
someday I should write my own mother such a letter.
it’s not so much the words part, but the taking the time part.
excellent.
I know I enjoy hand written letters and as a mom myself, getting one that even utters “thank you” or “I’m proud of you” would be more significant than an Emmy.
It’s the little things.
Write that letter – you’re so very correct that the words don’t matter – the thought totally does. š