Oatmeal Kisses

I don't know who wrote this, what I do know is that it gave me reason to pause and reflect on cherished memories and moments, in retrospect, that still take my breath away.

The baby is teething-the children are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat dinner without him {to save money on childcare, hubby and I worked opposite shifts when the kids were young...eating together meant we were both off and our weekly ritual was to treat ourselves to Litza's Pizza in our hometown}. Okay, one of these days you'll shout: "Why don't you grow up and act your age!" and they will, or "You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do...and don't slam the door!"...and they won't. {I remember saying something like this when I wanted to really clean house without any interruption}

You'll straighten up their rooms neat and tidy...bumper stickers discarded...spreads tucked and smooth ... toys displayed on the shelves...hangars in the closet...animals caged, and you'll say outloud: "Now I want it to stay that way!" and it will {really? good, I hate housework!}...You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in it and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for a company." and you'll eat it alone. {Thank GOD for grand kids!}

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around, no pantomimes {Darling AJ, your pantomimes always make me smile}, no demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?"...and you'll have it. No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghetti, no more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent {the horrors of the croup, not many things scarier to a young mom}, no more dandelion bouquets, no more iron-on patches, knotted shoestrings, or tight moots {what are moots?}.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point {who buys lipstick with a point?}, no babysitter for New Year's Eve {wouldn't know what that's like...we never celebrated New Years and if we did we always had our kids with us}, washing clothes only once a week, no P.T.A. meetings, carpools, blaring radios, Christmas presents out of toothpicks and paste. No more "Wet Oatmeal Kisses". No more toothfairy giggles in the dark, or knees to heal {I think I missed these things the first time around...can I have a do over?}.

Only a voice crying..."Why don't you grow up?"... and the silence echoing ......."I did." {I repeat...thank GOD for grand kids!!!}

~Author Unknown