Mother’s Day is just another day on the farm for me. It doesn’t really matter what the holiday is, there is still work to be done. Cows don’t milk themselves you know. We went on a little road trip to see my mom and family. Now just so you know, we live two hours from them. It was a full day of adventures. It started out with the usual day’s work: milking cows and feeding calves. Then the boys and I got ready for our trip and we were on the road by 10 a.m. So with the two hour drive, that brought us to lunch time when we arrived. Lunch was another hour by my aunt Kathy’s with some great adult conversation around the picnic table. Then a little family soccer game with my uncle Ken, aunt Jo and three cousins, all out of high school but had played on the high school soccer team. We were just a little outnumbered! Three o’clock rolled by and there were only a few balls to the face, one to the unmentionables, lots of grass stains and a rolled ankle, but it was time to go. A quick tour of the antique tractors and off to grandpa’s house to see him for a few minutes.
The boys have a love/ hate relationship with grandpa’s house. They like to talk to him but that gets old fast and there are no toys so they usually end up outside running in circles around the house. Today, they decided to tell him their favorite knock knock jokes. Kale was first, “Knock knock.” Of course grandpas eyes perked up with a “Who’s there?” “NO BELL.” “Noble who?” “No bell that is why I was knocking.” I was impressed because grandpa snickered. His mistake was asking if there were other jokes. Owen was the next to speak up with “ Knock knock.” Then of course “Who’s there?” “Cows go.” Followed by “Cows go who?” Then Owen started to laugh, after a good belly laugh he replied, “Grandpa I thought you were a farmer, cows don’t go who they go moo!” We all laughed quite a bit. Max, being the shy one of my boys, was really quiet. Grandpa asked him if he had a knock knock joke but Max just shook his head no. I tried to encourage him to tell his but nope he just couldn’t do it. The boys then were up and outside in a few short seconds running and screaming, so I could talk.
It almost time to head to our last stop when the door flew open and screaming rang through the house “Grandma Jean is here” (my mom). She was our next quick stop before leaving to make it home for chores. It is not very often that we get to see my family being that they farm near Seymour and we in Medford, chores seem to always get in the way. It was great to get to see her and catch up. All of a sudden, Max came out of his shell. He came up to grandma and sat right next to her on the couch and with his big brown eyes staring at her he asked, “Grandma did you remember me today?” She of course started to smile and squeezed the living day lights out of him and said, “Yes, I could never forget you.” To which he replied, “Will you remember me next month?” She said, “Yes.” Then a small break of silence and he asked, “How about next year?” Starting to get a little annoyed my mom said, “Yes Max, I will never forget you, especially with all the talking you do.” Max got a big smile on his face, I could hardly contain myself because I could see where he was going with this and she had no idea it was coming. Max again looked up at her and said, “Knock knock.” She bit, hook, line and sinker, “Who’s there?” The whole room erupted in a big belly laugh and she said, “Oh darn it you got me! I never saw that coming.” With that it was time to leave.
The boys were not done with the Mother’s Day shenanigans; no that would be too easy. I got a beautiful carnation and card from Kale, Max planted me a pot of marigolds and Owen gave me a picture frame with a card and coupons for all the things he was going to do for me. There were three coupons: 1. Clean out the dishwasher, 2. Feed calves at night and 3. Clean his room on the weekend. I was excited for all my presents. I hung the cards on the fridge and we were off to bed. Monday after school I cut off the first coupon and handed it to Owen. He said and I quote, “Mom those were only good for Mother’s Day!” Note to self, check expiration dates on homemade coupons! It was a great Mother’s Day. I got to see my mom and spend a great day with three of my favorite people: all who just happen to call me mom.
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