7.08.2009

spills.

This is orange juice. An gigantic jug of spilled orange juice.

Hard to look at, but totally clean up-able.

Jake cried and cried and cried and cried, because while he was helping to bring in the groceries, he set the orange juice on the counter, and it fell. He watched it seep out the cracked bottom of the gigantic jug sitting on the floor. And he cried.

Before we cleaned it up, I sighed one of those spill sighs, told Jakey it was okay-he could stop crying and crying and crying, and then I took a picture. Because of this:

When Jakey is 17 and Princess Ahpios breaks up with him for that other guy, and Jake cries and cries and cries and cries...I can show him the orange juice picture.

Remember the spill, Jake? I'll say. There was orange juice everywhere. It took every clean towel we had to soak up that orange juice; and even after that, it took two days of mopping to get rid of the stickiness and three more days of finding orange juice on the curtains and walls and windows. It was a huge mess. You cried and cried and cried and cried.

Then he'll nod. Remembering the dripping citrus smelling beach towels he carried to the laundry room. Then I'll say...

That was a bad spill. You felt pretty rotten. But we cleaned it up, eh? Every spill is clean up-able, Jake. It seems unbearable when you're staring at the never-ending pool of sticky orange juice, but every spill is clean up-able.

And he'll start to get it. But he'll be mad at me because he doesn't want to clean up the spill because he really likes Aphios, and thinks he might even love her, and he really wants to be that stupid other guy, and he just wants to cry and cry and cry and cry.

So we'll get out the towels, and spend two days - or two months cleaning up the sticky mess. And Jake will eventually feel better.

And that's when he'll laugh at the orange juice picture.

Until the next spill.

23 comments:

Andi Kate, Children's Author said...

Oh my gosh I HATE sticky messes. Well, sticky anything--fingers, counters, earlobes... Good for you for finding the fairytale ending in there somewhere!

ShEiLa said...

Wise Mother.
Why is it that a spill looks like 2 or 3 times more than it really is?
I am glad that spills can be cleaned up... easier than computer crashes. I am still suffering the effects of that... but perspective is so important. I texted my daughter and said those cute photos of you and me... they are gone. She quickly replied... its oK Mom we are still here... and WE are still as beautiful as ever. That made me smile and I saw the truth in what she said.
ToOdLeS.

AMBER said...

What a wise women and even better mother you are. I love the happy endings and It makes me giggle your story does. Though the sticky mess made me go YUCKO I don't want to clean up that mess!!

Callie Canlas said...

you wise, wise woman...and look! i'm not the only one to say so...that's the first thing that popped into my little noggin before my eyes teared up a bit. this is why i LOVE blogs!

Callie Canlas said...

p.s. i just might have to "borrow" this post and have it my arsenal for when isaac has his first broken heart...it's the principle of the thing right?

Angi said...

My mom always says that a big mess makes everything cleaner (you often end up cleaning a little more than just the mess while you're at it) she has 13 kids so I guess she ought to know.

Lynette said...

Sweetest thing I've heard read today! Thank you.

Mia said...

Such a sweet mama you are! And I am aching a little for first-time broken hearts. It does clean up though doesn't it!

Unknown said...

Cally,

It's too bad the scribbit topic of the month isn't "spills" because you would take the grand prize for sure with this one.

I teared up too.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE KIND OF POST...the ones where the moms use day to day stories to teach true true principles.

Thank you for the good tears today and the reminder that ALL spills can be fixed.

And tell Jake that he can come spill oj at my house anytime because I know that one of my girls would NEVER EVER break his heart...or they better not :)

Emma said...

what a great story and so true love you guys

ali said...

I know the spill sigh well....

Nana/Mom said...

your kids are really lucky, and so are you!!

Justincredibleg said...

This sounds like a good intro for a talk! :D

I hope one day when we start popping them out I will be able to come up with good life lessons like this one to share with my kids!

kelly m said...

i'm glad i happened upon your blog, this was beautiful. thank you.

phenry said...

FANTASTIC plan. I hope it works. Let us know 10-15 years from now :-).

mer said...

call-i-co...you have more epic spills at your house than anyone I know. I love it :).

The Birds said...

inspiring. thanks.

mary said...

What an awesome post...I'm Kirtsy-ing.

[And, OMG. That is a LOT of juice!!]

kits said...

I read this and Burst into tears! My son did something similar....21 years ago....and I yelled at him. I wish now I hadn't. He is 24 and grown. Time flies, make the most of every minute , which you are doing a fabulous job of...

nelya said...

You are one smart cookie. I love this! I have three boys under age 10, which equates to many spills...so this is particularly sage advice on so many levels. Thanks!

Amanda said...

what a wonderful mom you are... HUGS!!!!

Jenn C said...

That's awesome! Thanks for sharing your way of looking at something I might just cry about myself sometimes!
-Jenn

Kristi said...

Love your wisdom! Love you for thinking this!