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PDFAs I’ve written about before, we are a nomadic family. Heck, the last time I wrote, we had moved from Tennessee to Indiana. Eleven months later, we’re now back in Tennessee. In the same town. In the same neighborhood. Our new backyard touches the backyard of our old house! It’s a bit strange, and apparently, a tad bit confusing for my 7-year old daughter, Lil’ C.
The first day of school, I stood in my driveway, waiting for the bright yellow bus to come rolling over the hill. I was so eager to find out how the day went for both my girls – Lil’ C, and Miss P, 9-years old. What did it feel like to be back at their “old” school? Were their old friends confused/excited to see them? How were the teachers? The bus stopped a couple houses down at the corner, and I began to see the kids run out from in front of the bus and take off in different directions…including Lil’ C.
I was confused for a brief second – why isn’t she running home? Then it dawned on me…she was running home. Our old home. We had been living in our new house for well over a month, so I found this to be somewhat bittersweet…and funny. I laughed. Called out to my neighbor and we laughed. My husband laughed, my friends laughed, family laughed…Lil’ C did not find it so funny.
I understand the girls are young and it can be a hard concept to grasp, but I tried to explain to Lil’ C that sometimes we need to find the humor in mistakes we make or embarrassing things we do, and learn to laugh at ourselves. Because, Lord knows, they are MY girls…heck, my best trait is the ability to laugh at myself. And I’m always giving myself reasons to laugh. I’m a social person – I like to be around people. With the amount of incredibly goofy, embarrassing things I do on a daily basis, if I didn’t find the humor in those moments, I wouldn’t be able to leave the house!
Take the time I walked across the college campus with my cute little flowing skirt tucked up underneath my backpack. I didn’t realize this major fashion faux pas until after I stopped to talk to my date for that night and allllll his friends surrounding him. Sure, I was mortified at that moment, but…it was funny when I thought about it. I made a huge joke of it when he came to pick me up – we laughed and moved on. (I never did wear that skirt again…)
There’s the time I was a flight attendant, stood in the middle of the aisle, shook out my newly washed apron, and static electricity released it’s grip on a pair of my underwear letting them fly down the center of the full aircraft, landing next to an older businesswoman. Had to laugh.
The time I went for a run along a busy street, and didn’t duck low enough for the enormous branch above my head. Umm…oww. Had to laugh.
The time a total stranger in college, informed me that my dad, a math teacher, had told the class a story of how I got a horribly embarrassing, freak injury as a kid. It involved a fork, a knife, and, well, my hiney. Long story. Dad got blessed out that day when I ran into him, but yes, I laughed.
In fact, we all laughed about that story not long ago when my parents came up to visit. It’s one of my favorite parts of a visit from them – when we finish a dinner, and sit around the table for another hour reminiscing. This time, as we told our funny stories and doubled over with laughter, my girls joined in. And up piped Lil’ C with her new little story to share – about the day she got off the bus, and ran to the wrong house.
About Author Mandy
Rovingmama is a former resident of Montrose who longs to be back, but by the looks of things, is taking a route that requires living a couple years in every state in the continental U.S. She has been married to her handsome husband for ten years, and is the proud mama to two funny, spunky girls, who teach her something new everyday. Rovingmama’s passions include: photography, finding good deals, traveling, laughing, cooking, eating, and her newest passion, running. She’s excited to contribute her random musings to SJP, because sometimes her cat just isn’t that interested in what she has to say.
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