PUT ON YOUR GAME FACE...AND KEEP IT ON TIGHT.

ANYONE THAT KNOWS ME WELL KNOWS I HAVE A HARD TIME KEEPING IN A GOOD LAUGH WHEN THE SITUATION CALLS FOR SERIOUSNESS. WELL, I KNEW ONE DAY THIS PERSONALITY TRAIT WOULD CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THE PARENTING DEPARTMENT. THAT DAY WAS SUNDAY. WE WERE IN CHURCH WITHOUT DADDY WHICH ALREADY IS A TOUGH GIG SINCE I START OUT THE SITUATION OUT NUMBERED. AS USUAL, I WAS ARMED WITH COLORING BOOKS AND CRAYONS TO KEEP ANDREW BUSY DURING THE SERVICE BUT HE INTENDED TO USE THESE ITEMS TO ENTERTAIN HIMSELF MUCH DIFFERENTLY THAN I HAD INTENDED. WHILE THE CHOIR WAS SINGING, ANDREW WAS MAKING SILLY FACES TO HIS BROTHER. HE PLACED A CRAYON UNDER HIS NOSE TO MAKE A MUSTACHE TO COMPLETE THE CHARACTER HE WAS PORTRAYING. MASON, WHO NORMALLY KEEPS HIS COMPOSURE, CRACKED UP LAUGHING. I DID A GOOD JOB OF MASKING MY APPRECIATION OF HIS HUMOR. I SCOLDED BOTH OF THE BOYS AND TOLD THEM TO SETTLE DOWN AND BE RESPECTFUL AND MOVED TO SIT BETWEEN THEM. WE STOOD WHILE SINGING AND I TURNED TO LOOK BACK AT MASON JUST IN TIME TO SEE HIM BREAK A CRAYON TO MAKE "ANGRY EYEBROWS" TO MAKE A FACE BACK TO ANDREW. I LOST IT...AND COULD NOT KEEP A STRAIT FACE. THE SMILE AND GIGGLES I WAS TRYING MY BEST TO HIDE WERE OBVIOUS AND THE BOYS GIGGLED LOUDER ONCE THEY SAW THE DING IN MY ARMOR. I FINALLY CONTAINED MYSELF AND FOUND MY STERN VOICE AGAIN WHICH MASON QUICKLY RESPONDED TO BUT ANDREW WAS ANOTHER STORY. ONCE HE SAW ME CRUMBLE UNDER THEIR SILLINESS HE WAS NOT GOING DOWN WITHOUT A FIGHT. I FINALLY HAD TO TAKE HIM OUT OF THE SERVICE AND TO THE BATHROOM FOR SOME DISCIPLINE TO SETTLE DOWN AND BE READY TO RETURN TO THE SERVICE.

PARENTING THESE BOYS BRINGS JOYS EVEN IN THE TOUGH LOVE TIMES. I'VE MADE A COUPLE OF MENTAL NOTES FROM THIS SITUATION. EVEN IN THE TIMES THAT I AM TEACHING THE BOYS THAT THERE IS A TIME AND PLACE FOR EVERYTHING, I AM LEARNING THAT THERE IS EVEN ROOM FOR A GIGGLE FOR ME IN CHURCH SO THE BOYS SEE THAT SIDE OF ME TOO...AND WE WON'T EAT CAPTAIN CRUNCH FOR BREAKFAST ON SUNDAY MORNINGS. WE WILL STICK TO SATURDAY'S ONLY!

ENJOY MORE TINY TALK AT MARY'S. IT'S ALWAYS FUN TO SEE WHAT ALL THE KIDS ARE SAYING AND DOING.