SOL Day 7: We Will All Be There Some Day

Every Friday, I stay late at school. I usually don't leave until at least 8:00. It's a chance for me to get the week wrapped up and get things prepped for the next week. I'm sure I'll write more about that in another post this month. For now, it's just a set-up for what comes next. On my way home, I call my mom.

My parents live about an hour north of me. It's not too far. Not too close. But, I really don't see much
of them. We are really busy with our kids things, work, and other obligations. They are nervous highway drivers, and almost never drive at night. To keep up with each other, I call my mom every Friday and chat on my 20-minute drive home.

My mom is the child care provider for my brother and his wife. They have four kids, three of which are under 4 years old. By the end of the week, she is exhausted. This is why we start having kids when we are young, right? She should be enjoying the occasional visits and spoiling of her grandkids. She is with mine, at least.

Most of our conversation is filled up with what I've been up to this week, what my kids are doing, and what my nieces and nephews are doing. Typical of a person in their sixties, talk will also get around to who has died, who has come home to visit their parents, or what is happening at church.

Tonight, my mom made me laugh so hard I though I would have to pull the car over. As we were chatting, she was heading upstairs after putting a load of laundry in the washing machine. She tells me to hold on just a second. I hear, "Jerry, did I leave my phone downstairs?" Soon followed by her laughter and, "Oh my god. I cannot believe I just did that. I was patting my pockets and looking all over for my phone and I realized that I am talking to you on it."

My mom is definitely kept young by the fact that she has to chase around after 3 preschoolers every day. But even she has her senior moments. As my friend Marie said when I told her this story, "We will all be there some day." Yes. Yes we will.