Thursday, August 7, 2008

What Am I, Apples and Peanut Butter?

I felt rejected. And jealous. Yanking off my apron and tossing it on the table, my emotions took over my vocal chords. “What am I, Jen, apples and peanut butter?” I cried to my daughter.

She justified, “No, Mom, it’s just that Dad builds the best Lego castles, you know that.”

“Oh yeah?" Pity Party time. "Well, I know a thing or two about Lego Castles, little Miss Jenny—and you’re missing out.” I shuffled into another room to mope.

After all these years of feeding, bathing and homeschooling—day in and day out—now all they want is Dad. “Dad, can you play with me?” “Put me on your shoulders, Dad.” Dad, Dad, Dad, Dad, DAD.

Regaining my confidence, I attempted to bond with my son. “Hey, Justin—ya’ wanna show me what you’ve been destroying on SpyScape?”

“Just a minute, Mom. Dad and I are trying to win this quest together,” he replied, eyes glued to the computer.

“What do you mean? Dad’s at work,” I objected.

“Well, he’s taking his lunch break to play online with me.”

“Oh?” My bottom lip popped out--wayyyyyy out. “How fun for the two of you.”

Figures. I moped again, aimlessly wandering to the next room.

It’s not that I don’t want them to like their Dad…it’s just that all I’m known for around here is whipping up apples and peanut butter for a snack. What happened to “Her children will rise up and call her blessed?” I used to be blessed. I wanna feel like the blessed Mommy again.

Little Jen crashed my pity party. “Mom, can I call Dad?”

“No, honey, he’s busy. What do you need?”

“I want him to draw me a camel.”

“A camel—Daddy doesn’t have time to draw camels at work, Sweetie, but I’ll help you.”

Jen hung her head in polite surrender. “Welllll—okay.”

Here’s my chance to put moms everywhere in the spotlight again. My weepy heart began to swell with excitement. “Now, just let me find one on my handy, dandy Mac. I go to ‘Search’ right here, and type, ‘Camel pictures.’ See honey? This will be eeeeasy breeeezy.”

Ten minutes went by, and I could not find a single traceable picture of a camel. Jen had given up on me. “You know, who needs camels anyway? I’ll just go draw a ladybug or something.”

“NO,” I blubbered, “I’ll get you a camel…All I have to do is type in ‘Camel Coloring Book’….Bingo! Look—481,000 results. And the very first one says, ‘Camel Coloring Pages.’”

Like a triumphant warrior, I clicked on the link only to receive a message on my screen saying “SAFARI CANNOT OPEN THIS PAGE.” I clicked like a maniac, and the same dadgum message appeared over and again.

“Now can I call Daddy?” an exasperated Jen whined.

“NO, you most certainly will not bother Daddy at work.” I chomped my upper lip. “I can fix this.”

Justin yelled from upstairs. “Jenny, you don’t need to call Daddy, I’ve got him right here on I.M.”

“OH, Daddy, Daddy, Daddy,” she shrieked with delight as she ran to the likes of Dad via instant messenger.

All she wanted was a camel, Karen. You can’t even come up with ONE camel?

I sat there, completely defeated—defeated by Legos—defeated by technology—defeated by Dad.

The three of them are just up there gabbing away, and here I sit all alone staring at a big, ugly camel.

Apparently, Safari had found its page in Egypt or something.

“A camel?!!? Hey, Jen, I found a camel.” I turned into a giddy ninny. “Go get the camel off the printer. That didn’t come out right, but hey, who’s the bomb now? Huh?”

“Thanks, Mom, NOW I have two camels. Daddy sent me one to Justin’s email.”

Shaking my head in disbelief, a defeated smirk smeared across my face.

“Hey, Mom, everything okay?” Justin had the audacity to ask as he slithered into the room.

“Oh, Son, I’m just a big bag of crazy today. You sure you wanna open it?”

“Uhhhhhhhh, Oooo-kayyyyy...but can I open it after you slice me up some apples and peanut butter?” he said, licking his lips and rubbing his hands together. “You do it best, Mom.”

“Music to my ears, dear Justin.” I hugged him like nobody’s business, and he tolerated it.

“Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, Mom. Dad said he loves you and that he is the most blessed man on earth.”

“He did, did he?” I suddenly realized what a lunatic I had been.

“Hey Mom, where ya goin’?”

“What am I, apples and peanut butter? I’m goin’ to call the greatest Dad on earth.”

******

Scripture reference--Proverbs 31:28, NIV

***Sentiment is all in fun, for "those" mom days...enjoy!
***Special blessings to all the dads who rock their kids' worlds. And their wives' too! :D

11 friends shared a comment:

Patty Wysong said...

Laura, I love this story! The title is catchy and the story is WONderful!! Love it!

Thank you so much for hosting for us!
Huggles!

Tracy said...

Oh Laura, I remember this one! I really enjoyed it for the FW WC and I really, really enjoyed re-reading it here. If I remember correctly, it made me hungry for apples and peanut butter then too! You're the hostess with the mostest! Thanks for hosting this week!

Kim @ Homesteader's Heart said...

I've felt like that Mom before lol. Great story Laura.
Blessings,
Kim

Joanne Sher said...

Oh, what fun! And personally, Laura, I would LOVE to be apples and peanut butter, but maybe that's just me ;)Great story! And thanks for hosting, dear.

lori said...

NO.....I'm in tears over here...WOW...have I felt like that??

I am LAUGHING that your middle just got the same backpack...THAT is too funny!! Apparently it's not easy to get these days..last years I think...SHE loves it!! You know those "reds" they KNOW what they like!:)

What a fabulous post today....I'll be sharing yours too....
Thank YOU for the blessing today!
peace!
lori

Sara Harricharan said...

I remember this one! It was an EC, right? LOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVE it! ^_^ Especially that last line..."What am I? Apples and peanut butter?" Great stuff!

Meadow said...

Awesome story... So funny! I love it! I have a husband who is also our kid's hero! I rarely struggle with it though... I find it very ummm... to say it carefully.. attractive.. to see him playing with the kids. What a privilege to have a husband like that!

Lynda Schab said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lynda Schab said...

Aw...come on, be honest. Is this really fiction? It read like a real life scenario to me. What mom hasn't been there? Great post!

Anonymous said...

I like the "rise up and call her blessed" verses the reality of life (sometimes) aspect of this. :) Great story Laura.

Josh said...

I'm always a hit and a miss when it comers to Fiction Fridays. I participate some weeks, and other weeks, I just get too busy and forget.

Thankfully, you never forget, and you always provide us with great fiction. I remember this one from the writing challenge. and it's wonderful getting to read it a second time.