Here’s a picture of Hadley and Harper about five minutes before they went to school Monday morning. About fifteen minutes before this picture was taken they were having a contest to see who could throw her underpants and hit the ceiling first. I clean the breakfast dishes up during the contest. Yes, it is a daily thing – the underpants contest – not so much the cleaning of the breakfast dishes. That doesn’t always happen. But if you walk into our home around eight in the morning you are very likely to get smacked in the face with Cinderella underpants. You are also very likely to hear me say, “Get dressed,” in increasing volume increments, ending with, “Why does it have to get to the point where I’m screaming? Why do I have to be mean mommy? Get your underpants off the floor!”
But then they get dressed, and they brush their teeth, and they use the bathroom, and how long have they been able to do that without any help from me? When did that happen?
Early Monday evening the three of us went to the gym and as we were driving, Hadley asked, “Mama, what happened to your back?” She was referring to the somewhat large scar on my right shoulder.
“I had a birthmark removed when I was six.”
“Did you have stitches? Did you have a band-aid? Did you cry?”
“Yes, I had stitches, and a band-aid, and no, I didn’t cry during the surgery because I was asleep. I might have cried when I was awake but I don’t remember.”
“I hope that never happens to me,” Harper said.
“It wasn’t so bad. I got to eat a lot of popsicles.”
“How many popsicles?” They asked this in unison.
“A lot.”
“I feel so bad that this happened to you, Mama,” Hadley said.
“Thanks, Hadley. It really wasn’t so bad. Plus, I made up a story about my scar. When people ask now I tell them I used to be a surfer and got bit by a shark.”
“Do they believe you?”
“Usually. I’m can be a pretty good story teller.”
We drove for a few more minutes and were just about to turn into the parking lot, but we couldn’t because two cars had collided and were blocking the intersection. The accident was pretty bad. One car was flipped and another looked like an accordion. I have no idea how it happened; they both had to be driving fast.
I made a u-turn to try and avoid it but the girls saw it and wanted to know what happened. I told them I wasn’t sure but that there was an accident. “Let’s say a prayer,” I suggested.
“OK,” they said and the car was silent for about half a minute until Hadley said, “Done.” A few seconds later Harper said, “Done.”
“I finished first, and I prayed for everyone in the car accident,” Hadley explained.
“I finished second. I prayed for everyone in the car accident and I prayed for God.”
“You prayed for God?” Hadley asked.
“Yes, I did.”
“You don’t need to pray for God.”
“Well, I did. I prayed for God.”
We pulled into a parking spot in front of the gym and I said, “Thanks for praying, you guys. That was a nice thing to do. And God likes to hear your thoughts.”
“But not just when we’re in trouble, right?” Harper asked.
“That’s right. He likes to hear from you when you’re happy, sad, scared, excited….”
“God’s love does not separate,” Hadley said. “Like chocolate and vanilla swirled ice-cream. You can’t pull those flavors apart once you swirl ’em.”
No, you really can’t. Pastors of the world? There’s your next sermon. Extra points if you can work in the underpants contest.
So sweet. I got all goose-bumpy 🙂 These tidbits and glimpses into family life are golden, Callie – I hope you include and develop these things as part of your thesis!
Thanks, Sarah. I’m toying around with doing that. I’ll have to write to you more on my thoughts regarding the final project.
Wise girls! What a sweet moment.
And don’t lie, you came up with the underwear game, didn’t you? I’m sure I remember you doing that in NVW.
It is a pretty fun game….
I posted the chocolate-vanilla swirl quote on my FB page…so awesome! Little children shall lead them…
Oh, yes, and we have mornings (or other random times of the day) pretty much like that too…except the underwear gets worn as hats. One day I really AM going to make good on my threats, and leave for school without the kids…and see what happens…lol!
Thanks, Kelly! And if you make good on your threats, will you please tell me? You will officially be my hero!! 🙂
Well, here’s one pastor who really appreciated the post and the amazing insight about the swirls. It bears repeating sometime, though probably without the reference to underwear.
I have to say, I was impressed with the swirls, too. And I don’t blame you omitting the underpants out. 🙂
Yes! I think Hadley is onto something! Amazing how kids just get it! Simple, yet so true and pure. Beautiful.
I too ask myself the question…. “Hey, when did they start (xxxxx) all by themselves?” Fill in the blank. I have two boys: Jacob 8 and Sam 6. Like when did they start getting their own cereal? When did they get so big that they will never take a bath together again? 🙁
My dear friend Carrie Rabbit introduced me to your blog and I shall thank her tomorrow 🙂 Looking forward to reading more posts from a mom who seems to “get it” as much as her beautiful little girls 🙂
Susan! Thanks so much for your kind words and for stopping by and reading my blog! These little things like pulling on socks and pouring cereal by themselves make me happy and sad at the same time, right? When and how did that all happen? 🙂
Carrie is a dear friend, isn’t she? She and I know each other from when our husbands were graduate students at Notre Dame. I am very thankful for her friendship. I am glad to have a friend of a friend stop by! 🙂
I love that Harper prayed for God. What a sweet, wise child! I can imagine God smiling at that 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Wasn’t that sweet? It was so funny when she said it, probably because it was so surprising to hear. But I think you are right, He is smiling at that. And really, He probably likes to be prayed for now and then. 🙂
i remember you trying to pull that shark crap on me in college… i do love this. annika pretty regularly thanks God for God. as in, “dear God. thank you for mommy and for daddy and for naomi and for baby sarah and for God.” maybe she’ll move up to praying *for* Him next… hadley’s definitely onto something with the swirl. and the underwear game. can’t believe we haven’t thought of that one yet around here…
By then, the shark story was a well tuned machine. I came up with it in sixth grade so I had lots of time to sharper it up. However, I wasn’t planning on telling the story to someone who grew up across the street from an ocean AND was studying to be a doctor.
My girls will HAPPILY teach your girls the underwear game.
so sweet and insightful. I loved reading this!
Thank you, Sonya!