My Dearest Future DILs,
I apologize that it's been so long since I
last wrote to you...although I am certain that you won't notice the large time
gaps by the time you read these….and you CERTAINLY will read them.
However the other random stuff I doubt that you will ever read…but I feel that
I need to make a couple amends for my post yesterday.
Yesterday was National Chocolate Chip Day.
If you know me well at all (and
since you are my DILs I pray that you do know me well...and in a good way),
it will not surprise you that the PBA and I celebrated the "holiday"
by making chocolate chip cookies.
But in the midst of my writing about the
experience, I believe I inadvertently disparaged them a bit. I didn't mean
to...it kind of slipped out in my frustration.
I believe that the frustration was of my
own volition and in the future will try to remember to attempt kitchen
home ec as a one-on-one lesson experience.
For the sanity of all parties involved.
I promise you, sweet girls, that I truly am trying to help these
boys become the men God desires them to be and the husbands you deserve. I
figure that if I can help them learn their way around the kitchen, all the
better for you. And them, before there is a “you”.
Now…here’s where my amends come in. I have to tell you that they
do possess a skill which I believe/hope/pray that you appreciate and are
thankful for: they can do yardwork.
This includes, but is not limited to, mowing, weed pulling, and bush
& tree limb trimming. I am certain they can do much more…I just don’t know
about it.
Because frankly, I am inside the house. I have passed off the “to
do” list to Mr. Always Random and shuffled inside to write (or perhaps bake) in relative peace.
Don’t get me wrong…I love to have them around, but I have figured
out that they have so much to learn from Mr. AR as well. For the record, I am
perfectly capable of doing it all: my father taught me. He didn’t have a son, and someone else needed to be out there mowing
the lawn. Plus I wanted to learn…he paid me to mow.
Money: always a great motivator.
I did not pass that advantage along to the boys…nor do they need
to know that I was paid for such a service in my own home. I am quick to tell
them, when asked about such things, that they are compensated by having a roof
over their heads and food in their bellies.
Yeah…I’m THAT kind of mom. Feel free to parent in the same manner…so
far, it’s working out for me. Time may tell differently but for now, it’s my
plan of attack.
But I digress…I was touting the skills of the PBA’s lawn care
prowess. What they lack in terms of culinary skills they atone for in lawn
care.
Yesterday, both I and Mr. AR (independent
of and unbeknownst to one another) informed the PBA that the lawn needed to
be mowed by the end of the week-end.
As an aside: In an attempt to help them with their time management
skills, we assign a task without a deadline and allow them figure out when
might be the best time to tackle said task.
It’s a work in progress.
And while they may be handy with yard work, they don’t seem to
notice in advance that it needs to happen. As I would say even to Mr. AR: The
y-chromosome is strong in them.
I’m working on it. In all of them. (Don’t tell Mr. AR that I included him in that.)
But…going back to this week-end…it was going to be slightly tricky
to get that mowing task in. The 12yo has a soccer tournament, and the 11yo has
a lacrosse tournament. Fortunately for us, they are both in the same side of
town (though not the same town…that
rarely ever works out, so make a note of that for future reference).
Just to add in some superfluous information for you: it also means
that we are leaving about 6:30 in the morning and won’t be home until about 7
tomorrow night. Sunday is an immediate departure from church to head to the
tournament…which means mid-late afternoon return home.
Who wants to mow after playing 3 soccer games?
Oh…and I failed to mention the on and off rain showers we’ve been
having. It is spring in Indiana, so we’re not really surprised, but still…makes
for a difficult time of getting the lawn mowed.
Thankfully the rain stopped long enough this afternoon AND the sun
came out so they could get the mowing accomplished.
And not only COULD they…they actually DID get the mowing in.
AND I witnessed something that I didn’t know they even knew how to
do: the 12yo knew how to fill the mower with gas. And how to start it.
And the 11yo also knew how to start it (they take turns with the mower since we only have one mower…I’m
certain you didn’t think that we had two, but just to clarify…this is actually what
brought about my epiphany earlier regarding baking with only one child at a
time; if they are not working together things run more smoothly. Note to self:
work on teamwork skills, but not in the kitchen.)
AND the 11yo also knew to put the mower away when he was finished.
Plus, there are things which have to be moved in order to get the mower out, he
knew to put them back as well.
Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition! It is a seemingly-small
victory, but really it isn’t. It is another step on their journey for
self-sufficiency. And being ready to take care of a wife. You are welcome.
In the meantime, though, I think we need to celebrate…good thing I
already have some chocolate chip cookies made.
Love,
Your Future MIL
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