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Thursday, July 24, 2008

Mama Almost Had a Coronary at a Quarter past Midnight

It's official. I've become my mother. I have grey hair, moles in strange places, and I make a clucking noise when irritated with my kids.

Oh, and I have her voice too.

It comes out at the strangest times.

Like tonight when my daughter called from camp at 12:15 am.

I was sitting at my desk working on a project and I heard a small tinkling noise coming from the other room (my new phone and I haven't quite adjusted to the new ring tone). My head cocked to one side, I listened intently to see if I was really hearing my phone ring after midnight or if it was just my imagination ('cause my brain makes that sound anyway).

Sure enough, I heard it again. So I got up and raced to my purse in order to discover who had just died. Note: when you grow up in the South, one of the things you learn is that no one calls after 10:00 pm unless -- 1.) someone has died or 2.) someone is fixin' to die.

Seeing the area code, I knew immediately it would be regarding my daughter and suddenly my heart dropped right out of my chest and onto the floor. It is every mama's nightmare to receive a phone call in the middle of the night about their child, and this was the camp counselor's number, so I was already mentally packing my bags and figuring out the logistics and timing of exactly how I was going to get to where ever she was in a jiffy {that would be 3 × 10(24th power) seconds - all you home schoolers knew that, right?}.

I answered the phone with a breathless "Yes?" only to hear my daughter say way-too-cheerfully, "Hey mama! We're staying up all night tonight, 'cause it's the last night of camp! Isn't that exciting?"

"Katie! Why on earth are you calling me in the middle of the night? You scared me half to death!" My mom said I whisper-growled.

I hate when that happens. I wanted to suck those words right back in, but they were hanging there in midair in that infernal white bubble. You know the one, don't you?
Where is my white board eraser when I need it? Sigh.

So I apologized to my child, who was calling me not because she wanted anything in particular, but because she loved me and wanted to share something special with me.

I know eleven won't last forever and the closeness we have might be tested. Help me to be the good parts of my mom - the patient, gentle, and kind ones.

Help my daughter to remember the sweet conversation we had after my stupid initial reaction.

And tell me this - do you ever hear your mom (good or bad) coming out of your mouth?

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8 comments:

Megan Cobb said...

Lately? Every. Single. Day. I'm glad you're gettin' your baby back today... I know you must've missed her like the Dickens.

Kim from Hiraeth said...

I choked on my coffee laughing when I saw "fixin' to die!" This mid-Western girl lived in KY for four years and every time I heard that phrase it cracked me up.

I once had a little boy tell me breathlessly that he was "fixin' to be 5!!!"

And yes, there have been those ringing moments when I sounded exactly like my mother (as in, don't make me come up there!!!)

Jeni said...

I hear my Mom in my more and more often, now that I have a whirlwind of a toddler. I really do hope I can keep it to the good things my mom said - she's not big on patience!

Unknown said...

I feel I have more of my mother's mannerisms than anything else. But yeah, it happens to the best of us. I mean how could you not repeat some of the things the woman you lived with for MANY years said too?

PastormacsAnn said...

I don't hear her in myself so much but I definitely see her more now when I look in the mirror.

Glad you were able to redeem the moment with your daughter. May her homecoming be extra sweet.

Flea said...

All the time. And I think it's hilarious. Now that my kids are getting to know my mom, finally, she only reinforces the mom-voice coming out of my mouth. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh, I hear my mom's voice (and words) coming out of my mouth all the time. Like when I look at my kids and say "are you going to wear that?"

Jackie said...

Oh goodness. I got chills when I started reading this...waiting for the bad news. I guess I'm my mother too. When the heck did that happen?!