Us Girls

The usual Sunday routine is lunch with my parents and grandmother after church. Today was no different. We sat, held hands to pray and then began to dig in. With 5 adults and two rambunctious children at the table it is usually every man, woman and child for themselves. The boys ask for ketchup and cheese. My dad asks for the onions while I dip out a bit of guacamole for myself. Grandma asks for the chips and then my dad complains that Nathan still has the meat at his end of the table. This, of course prompts Nathan to shove the meat farther from my father and obligates me to retrieve the meat before all is lost and Dad gets no protein at all. By this time, the boys are finished eating and asking for chocolate chip cookies or to be excused.

Today the only difference was my mother, whom unknown to the whole table, was sitting with her hands folded under her chin and gazing at the Sunday rigamaroll. The passing of the bowls had finally stopped and the clatter of forks were on the rise but my mother was still poised in her chair just staring at us all.

My dad got wind that something was amiss and asked my mother what the problem was. My mother, the woman who has never had trouble asserting herself in our family says to us all: "I was just wondering when someone would pass me something to eat."

The statement caught all of us with forks half way to our mouths. The martyrdom was apparent in the air and as all good families would do...we laughed at her and then passed her everything at once.
Well, she asked for it didn't she. :-)

Later on this evening, we ate dinner with another family. They are good friends and have a daughter about Aaron's age. The conversation was moving briskly and everyone was talking except their little girl. After several minutes of silence from her, she spoke up clearly with this sentence "I was just wondering when someone was going to talk to me".

Immediately, my mind went to my mother's statement and the thought crossed my mind. I guess us girls never really change.