Mom!

I remember using that name endless times in my life.
"Mom...where are my shoes?"
"Mom, can I go to Lisa's house?"
"Mom!!!!!"
My mom always used to say..."I changed my name!" Now I know why.

I think one of these first days I am going to count exactly how many times a day I hear that word. Mom. Mommy. MOM! Mooooooooom.....Ma? MAAAAAM! It comes in many varieties, but it's always in reference to me.

Already this morning I have heard it many times. It's only 7:34 and this is what I have heard today.
"Mom, I want to crimp my hair, but I don't know how to do it myself..."
"Mom, where my shoes?"
"Mom...where are some long pants?"
"Mom, I am really tired and I don't want to go to seminary today"
"Mom, can I have a home lunch today?"
"Mom...mom....mom..."(Skyler while in bed...)
"Mom, it's really hard to sleep and let my body get better when the kids are fighting down the hall..."
"Well..mom..this is what happened! I didn't mean to wake up Lacie...it's just that Joe was being so obnoxious!"
"Mom, where is that lunch bag that I like?"
"Mom...where is my new pen?"

And sadly enough that's only a few examples of the use just this morning. Now, don't get me wrong. I love that word. I have never wanted anything more than to be a mom. It's always been my life long dream. I just didn't have a clue what would go with that.

I like to write. Now this process takes time, concentration and effort. It's not something you can do on the fly. It took me 3 hours to write my last blog...I had to get up and stop my train of thought so many times it was rediculous. As we speak two of my kids are trying to make themselves home lunch (I usually make them eat hot lunch beacuse we get it for free. One of the few perks to having a huge family!) and they have both asked me about a hundred questions on how to do this. I think it's good for them to have to do this themselves...they know how to put chips in a bag. Really. But they still have to ask the same thing over and over again. They know how to do it, they just lack the confidence that they are doing it right. That's where mom comes in.

"Does this shirt go with these pants?"
"Do you have a quarter for milk?"
"Can I wear a jacket today..is it warm enough?"

Now I do have to admit that some of the questions are just stinkin hilarious! I have had more than a few good laughs over some of the things they ask. Some of the time I don't want to know why they are asking what they are...

"Can I put a creamie in a bag of ice and have it still be frozen by lunchtime?"
"Mom, what is this brown, black, green stuff on this lunch meat?"
"Can I get on the roof and get my barbie?"
"How much is too much to spend on icecream from the icecream truck and is it ok that I bought some for the Green's too? By the way I took a twenty out of your wallet..."
"What is that horrible smelling stuff on the bottom of my shoe?"(while sitting on my bed)
"Is it bad that the baby is on the roof with me?"
"Will Colby get hurt if we put him in the trunk of the car?"
"Can we walk to McDonalds and do you have money?"
"Can we melt pencil erasers in the crayon maker?"

These are all questions that I have been asked in my time as a mom. Actually that might have just been a few from this week. I love to laugh and some of my biggest belly laughs have been at the questions my kids ask.

However, the flip side of this is that sometimes I start to twitch when I hear "MOM?" I get that so many times in one day that I want to run away and hide...stick my head in the sand or sell myself to the gypsies! Because for every one funny question, I get 10 not so funny questions.

"Who went in my room today? Because they destroyed it...why weren't you watching the little kids?"
"Mom, what can I use to clean soda out of the keyboard?"
"Can I have your last soda?"
"Mommy...where is clean underwear? I had an accident..." (which is now all over the toilet, wall and floor!)
and after a long long day of questions, problems, fighting and yelling I get the grand master question that pushes me over the edge...

"Mom, why are you being so mean?"

Ugh...spend one day in my shoes and that will be that last question you ever ask me...