However, it does provide a very big opportunity to actually talk and listen to each other that I know we wouldn't be doing if we had the option to listen to music instead. And, so the best way we have come to pass the time is for us to tell stories to the kids about our real lives when we were young.
The kids absolutely love listening to stories about their parents, our siblings, friends, and their grandparents from before they were born. Nearly every time a story ends, the kids shout out,' tell it again!'
We don't plan for the stories to come out, they are just whatever odd little bits and pieces we have in our minds right then about days long gone. Sometimes the stories are of lessons learned, sometimes they are priceless memories of loved ones that we have lost, examples of how blessed we have been to have such wonderful siblings and friends, and sometimes they are just downright silly.
...which is exactly like this one that I told them the other day while we were out running errands.
A long time ago, Mum was just a girl. Like as old as Daddy's basketball players, and Aunt Kitty was a little bit younger than me. And it was the day of a dance at our school where the girls got to pick which boy they wanted to take to the dance. This is called a Sadie Hawkins dance. So all the girls got to pick any boy we wanted to ask to the dance.
Grey: I bet I know who you asked, Mum! (whispering) I bet she says, Daddy, Gem.
That's right! I asked Daddy because he was the nicest, funniest, and handsomest boy. And also he was my boyfriend. And Aunt Kitty had asked Uncle Juice and since Uncle Juice and Daddy were best friends, they decided they were going to come pick us up together.
So Aunt Kitty and I got dressed up fancy and we were so excited for Daddy and Uncle Juice to get there! We were kneeling on Mumma's old bed and looking out the window staring at the driveway just waiting and waiting because we were just so excited! Ya know, how you guys do that too; stare out the window for someone to come.
Grey: Yea, like when Pappy is coming for karate!
Yea, like that. So we were waiting and waiting and so excited and laughing like this: "hehehehehhe!" about everything because we just couldn't even stand ourselves. It was really silly. And then because we were being so silly and goofy, Mumma's earring fell out and slid down the hole between the bed and the wall.
Gem: Oh no, Mumma! You was wearing earrings?
Grey: Could you get it or was it lost?
Well, I slid my arm down in that space between the bed and wall but you know how its kind of a small space, right? So I slid my arm down there and was feeling all around and I found it! I found my earring! But when I tried to pull my arm out, it was stuck!
Gem: Mumma! No! I don't like this.
Grey: Did you get it out?
Gem: This is making me feel very sad.
Grey: Was it hurting you?
Well at first I kept trying to pull it but my arm was still stuck. It wasn't hurting too bad, but just a little when I was trying to pull it! Well, you should have seen Aunt Kitty, she was laughing and laughing. And since I had on a skirt to be a fancy girl at the dance, my whole underpants were sticking out because I had my arm stuck in that hole and my butt was up trying to pull my arm out!
Grey: hahah! Your underpants! hahahhah!
Gem: Mummmmmmmmma! Come on!
So Aunt Kitty was still laughing, and I was still stuck, and my underpants were still sticking out and Aunt Kitty kept teasing me that Daddy and Uncle Juice were there! She kept looking out the window and saying, "Oops! They're here!" and then I would say nervous, "Ah! they are?!" but she'd laugh and laugh and say "No! Good thing because your underpants are sticking out!"
Gem: I'm going to be mad at Aunt Kitty. I don't want her to tease my Mumma! You're my best mumma!
Grey: Were Daddy and Uncle Juice really there?
Gem: Aunt Kitty not nice for teasing my best Mumma!
So finally! I got my arm unstuck and fixed my skirt and put my earring back in! And then Daddy and Uncle Juice drove to our house and knocked on the door and Chum said, "Hello boys, what are you doing here?" And Daddy and Uncle Juice said, "We're here to take the girls to the dance." And when me and Aunt Kitty came out dressed fancy, Daddy and Uncle Juice said, "Wow, you girls look great!" And we said, "You guys too!" And then we went to the dance and laughed and danced and had fun all night! The End!
Grey: Can you say that part about Aunt Kitty teasing you about Daddy coming when he really wasn't again?
Gem: No! I don't like that part!
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| Mumma and Kitty circa December 1999 |
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