We are logging in the hours in ye old minivan right now. We’re giving her hawtness quite the workout driving her from here to there and back…twice. In the past week we have put roughly 32 hours in driving from Florida to Missouri to Arkansas with several stops in between. My kids are becoming quite the little road trippers.
Although Landon’s left eye does start twitching any time we mention getting in the car right now. I’m sure that’s merely a coincidence.
That much time in the car provides ample opportunity for memory making, both in conversation and in action. Right now the kids are obsessed – OBSESSED – with Teen Beach Movie so this means we hear the music a lot.
Lee’s eye starts twitching whenever the opening bars of Cruisin’ for a Bruisin’ start playing. So strange…
It’s the conversations that have given me the most delight, though. Two in particular are back and forth dialogues that I never, ever want to forget. And so, for posterity, and because I know you all want to laugh with me, I give you:
Conversations with kids in vans
Tia: “Hey daddy?”
Lee: “Yes?”
“Tia: “I feel sorry for my friend from school, you know why?”
Lee: “Why?”
Tia: “Her parents were fighting and fighting so they separated and now she has to sometimes see her mommy and sometimes see her daddy. Isn’t that sad?”
Lee: “That is sad. I’m sorry that happened.”
Tia: “Will that ever happen to you and mommy?”
Lee: “No, baby. Your mommy and I work really, really hard on loving one another and making sure that we will always remain together as a family.”
Tia: “But sometimes you go away on trips. What if you don’t come back?”
Lee: “Well, sometimes I have to go away for a short time, but those are just business trips and you know what?”
Tia: “What?”
Lee: “When I’m away all I can think about is how much I want to be back with my family. I pray for you all while I’m gone that God would protect you and that He will protect me so I can get back to you. But I love your mom very much. She is the person I want to be with more than anyone else in the world so I don’t want you to worry about us ever separating okay?”
Tia: “Daddy?”
Lee: “Yes, baby?”
Tia: “That sign back there had underpants on it.”
Poignancy is completely lost on children.
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Yesterday after church, we drove through Lee’s hometown.
Lee: “I had a girlfriend that lived on that street in high school.”
Sloan: “You had a girlfriend? Was she nice?”
Lee: “Yeah, she was a nice girl.”
Sloan: “Why did you break up with her?”
Lee: “Oh, you know. I just knew she wasn’t the girl I would spend forever with so there wasn’t any point in continuing the relationship.”
Sloan: “So you broke up with her and prayed that God would bring you your forever girl, and then you met mom, right?”
Lee: “Well, pretty much. I met mom a little while after that.”
Sloan: “Did mom have an afro back then?”
Lee: “She did. She did. She had an afro and she was also Korean.”
Sloan: “Oh…huh.”
You guys, if my kids don’t end up in counseling before age 30 it will be a miracle.
Happy Monday, all! May it be full of awesome and just enough random to keep you laughing. Oh and incidentally, my favorite part of road trips is when I look back and see this:
They’re just so CUTE when they sleep!
*wink*
Those conversations bring back so many memories. One of the most random comments came after the “birds and bees” talk that Dave had with our oldest.
Our son looked at him and asked “You did that to mom?” Dave replied “Yes, at least 3 times ” ( that was the magic number because i was pregnant with number 3 at the time :-))
After a long pause, our son looked out the car window and said “Dad? Did you know Mars is called the red planet?”
Pahahaha! Kids are awesome. 🙂
Yep, better start a savings account for psychiatric treatment now…and I missed those Korean fro days somehow.
Uncle Dusty there was an unfortunate incident with a bad perm that COULD potentially be misconstrued as an afro (which my mom so lovingly pointed out in her comment), but that was long before I met Lee.
To my recollection I have never been Korean.
Your perm in 8th grade wasn’t that bad, was it?
That was less an afro and more a poodle who stepped on a live wire…
Those car rides are the perfect time to really talk with kids and get a feel for their developing perspectives. Gotta love it. (Hey, it’s me, Lisa! P.S. MISS YOU GIRL!)
Hi Lisa! Miss you back, lady!! 🙂
Fabulous Thanks.
Thank my funny kids! 🙂
HILARIOUS!!!! The afro cracked me up!!!!
Me too! Kids are awesome. 😉