Bonuses from Living with your Mom

This year I hit a milestone a bit early in my life: my mom moved in with us.

It is interesting the reactions I get when I tell people this.  Either 1) they get a look of pity on their face and assume she’s an invalid 2) they get a look of pity on their face and assume I’m going insane or 3) they get a look of pity on their face because their parent(s) have moved in with them as well.

While numbers 1 and 2 have varying degrees of correctness, there have been several bonuses that have popped up as a result of living with my mom (again).

1) The Laundry Fairy Does Exist:  Just when I’m beginning to think that The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny and Santa Clause may  be less than perfect, The Laundry Fairy shows up at my house.  She doesn’t come every day.  But occasionally I’ll come home after having left my laundry in the dryer, after drying time is over, a bit longer than recommended, and The Laundry Fairy has removed AND FOLDED an entire load of laundry.  Call me sentimental, but this might be better (at times) than a stocking full of chocolate.

2) I Am Not As Soft Spoken As I Appear: I was about to get the rest of my family’s hearing checked.  I say something. I repeat it.  I speak it thrice.  And still my requests go unanswered.  I thought that maybe I was just soft spoken, so I started raising my voice in order to be heard.  It didn’t help.  Then I discovered there is someone else in this world who can hear me just fine.  I do not have to yell things in order for my mom to hear me.  If she doesn’t understand, she’ll ask me to repeat myself and not stare blankly at the TV.

3) I’m Saving The Planet: A visit to see mom now requires me to walk downstairs.  I no longer have to call.  I don’t have to waste the gas.  There are some Sundays when the six of us go to church all in one car! We don’t waste energy in our basement for no reason.  We use it for mom.  She’s pretty comfy down there and our dog loves having someone else to give her some attention.

All in all, its not so bad.  I feel like I’m finally honoring her when I haven’t been able to before. That particular commandment had always eluded me, but now I feel that we are being the family that God wants us to be.

Until Everyone Hears,