HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

So, we had this great 10 year old cat named Jack who just recently
died. Jack was a great cat and the kids would carry him around and
sit on him and nothing ever bothered him. He used to hang out and
nap all day long on this mat in our bathroom.

Well we have 3 kids and at the time of this story they were 4 years
old, 3 years old and 1 year old. The middle one is Eli. Eli really
loves chapstick. LOVES it. He kept asking to use my chapstick and
then losing it. So finally one day I showed him where in the
bathroom I keep my chapstick and how he could use it whenever he
wanted to but he needed to put it right back in the drawer when he
was done.

Last year on Mother's Day, we were having the typical rush around
and try to get ready for Church with everyone crying and carrying
on. My two boys are fighting over the toy in the cereal box. I am
trying to nurse my little one at the same time I am putting on my
make-up. Everything is a mess and everyone has long forgotten that
this is a wonderful day to honor me and the amazing job that is
motherhood.

We finally have the older one and and the baby loaded in the car and
I am looking for Eli. I have searched everywhere and I finally
round the corner to go into the bathroom. And there was Eli. He
was applying my chapstick very carefully to Jack's . . . rear end.
Eli looked right into my eyes and said "chapped." Now if you have a
cat, you know that he is right--their little butts do look pretty
chapped. And, frankly, Jack didn't seem to mind.

And the only question to really ask at that point was whether it
was the FIRST time Eli had done that to the cat's behind or the
hundredth.

And THAT is my favorite Mother's Day moment ever because it reminds
us that no matter how hard we try to civilize these glorious little
creatures, there will always be that day when you realize they've
been using your chapstick on the cat's butt.