The Treatise

Wednesday, February 15, was not one of my best mothering days. My sisters were flying into town (at least I thought they were--Wednesday, February 15, was a horrible day for them as they were stuck in the airport or on the airplane for more than 8 hours and never did leave the airport). Anyway, because they were coming, I wanted the house to look nice. Our basement is always a mess. It is where we keep the kids' toys, and despite cleaning the basement several times a week, it always seems to be in the same state of chaos. On these cleaning occasions, I almost always have the boys clean the basement. Getting them to do it, however, is always very tricky. It usually involves a challenge where we race to see whether mom can clean up the most toys or the boys can clean up the most toys. I don't know why I always wait until I'm upset before I think of the challenge, but for some reason, on this particular day, I thought that my five-year-old and my three-year-old boys were old enough that I could work on other parts of the house and have them clean the basement. As you might imagine, this did not work. Then the bribing began. I told the boys if they would clean the basement that Dad would take the boys to the new McDonald's Playland for dinner (at that point I thought I was going to go to Detroit to pick up my sisters as soon as Michael got home. When Dad's in charge of dinner, Ronald McDonald is often the cook). They were very excited about this and began picking up toys. However, when I went up stairs to finish what I was doing, the cleaning stopped and the playing resumed. Michael came home and told the boys that they couldn't go to McDonalds. I then had an errand to run and left the house frustrated.

Just as I was finishing my errand, Michael called me and asked if it was okay if they met me at McDonalds. He said the boys had done a wonderful job of cleaning the basement and had made me something. Although slightly hesitant because I was still a bit frustrated, I said I would meet them. When the boys walked in the store, they were all very happy to see me and gave me big hugs and kisses. We then went to the playland where the boys mostly played, and we mostly ate. Michael then gave me the "gifts" that the boys made for me. I loved them so much that I just had to scan them in and save them here. Thobe's drawing is a heart-felt scribble. I'm sure it includes the Buckeyes, the Cougars, and even the Wolverines. I know that he was making it with me in mind, so it's very special to me.
Alden's drawing was also created all by himself with me in mind as well. He wrote the words himself and was so excited for me to see it. In case you can't quite tell what it says, it reads, "I love you, Mom. I'm sorry." What a sweetheart! It's funny how just a few short lines from a child can write volumes in his mother's heart. I really have great kids!