S3's Lost Tooth

When S3 began his school year, he became rather obsessed with his teeth.

As in loosing some.


It did not matter that he is one of the younger kids in his kindergarten class. Oh no, he just wanted a loose tooth.


A missing tooth would be even better.


I think he secretly hoped one of his brothers would knock in out of his head and save him some time.


So it was with great joy he got his first loose tooth. I do not recall any of the first two boys being more excited than him.


Now, husband, he just can't stand loose teeth. He feels the boys may accidentally swallow them in their sleep (I have never heard of such a thing). He has an obsession with teeth, really. He always is commenting on people's teeth (those of you who know him, well, think of that next time you smile your pearly whites at him!) and I am ever so thankful God blessed with me with nice straight teeth because I'm not sure my husband would have married me without them.


Anyhow...


Husband tried to wiggle the tooth for S3 for him. S3 would shriek and giggle and then cry he would be so overwrought with emotion for moment. Husband offered to get out the pliers and pry it out of his mouth, S3 refused to even say no, he just kept his mouth closed tightly for that one. S1 offered to tie the tooth with a string to his arrow and shoot the arrow but S3 didn't think that was a good idea too.


S3 spent a lot of time with his Moma who just would say “Boys, the tooth will come out when it is good and ready to come out.” S3 also spent a lot of time telling his Moma what he could and could not have in his lunch because of his tooth...it was pretty much just cupcakes, bread, cookies, pudding, maybe some tootsie rolls....


On Wednesday nights, RC and a few others teach a class at our church for 4 and 5 year olds called Gopher Buddies, part of the Word of Life program. S4 was helping me, as he always does, put out the snacks and cups of water for all our Gopher friends in the main room when from the gathering room we heard a loud cheer and clapping.


Last I knew they were just singing a song.


S3 comes bursting out of the room to me holding the tooth triumphantly in the air. RC went all out with her congratulations for S3. RC has true talent with kids, some people have that gift and she has it abundantly, and it made S3's entire evening just spectacularly special.


When it came time for snack, S3 could eat with ease because he had been favoring that tooth for so long. And it was his Moma's chocolate chip cookies we had so he was even more happy. I ran S3 down to the dodge ball game so he could show his Daddy, who I don't think heads up that game so much as he makes gets as many kids out as he can. S3 took a few balls on the back but his one less tooth smile never even dimmed.


We still have the tooth in a bag, blood and all, to be shown to everyone...the kindergarten class, the Gopher class, anyone who wants to stop over. The tooth has been so busy on tour that the tooth fairy hasn't even had a chance to take it away! But isn't his grin worth it?

Just Another Sunday Service

Tonight is the special service at church. All year our kids have been involved in Word Of Life on Wednesday nights there and tonight is the big Award Ceremony. It’s the night when all the kids get awarded for their quiet times, verse memorization, community service etc.

I have helped teach the Gopher Buddies this year for the first time. Sons 3 and 4 are in that class so it was a good fit. Crazy, hectic, busy but good.

Today we had a crazy, hectic but good day. We arrived to this special evening four minutes before the service began after a day of field work, church, teaching JR church, dinner my husband’s parents home, visit with one of my husband’s very best friends and then a super fast quick change of clothes for the two oldest and my husband (there was exactly enough time for me to quick pee and then drink a glass of water, literally) and then race (literally) to church.

As usual, it was my boys that were acting up in the Gopher line. They thought they got to use the microphone – I can only imagine what that would have been like – and they could hang out on the stage the whole service. They did not.

We were sitting there, filling out two pews with all the kids and I was busy trying to keep them from waving their certificate papers all around. Much easier said then done.

My good friend, R.C. was in front of me with the other half of the class. One of the oldest couples in our church, people I have a high respect for and always just seem so very dignified, was sitting directly behind me.

Most of the time everyone is clapping for the kids and their accomplishments; but in one very rare quiet moment Son 4 decided to say to me “Moma, I smell guck.” Thankfully, he didn’t say it loud because S4 is the one who has no indoor voice. At all. But he does like to whisper, although loudly,and he did whisper this to me.

Thinking he may have thought he needed to go potty because he hadn’t for awhile, I realized, I tried to figure our best exit route as we were in the middle of the pew and I made a fatal mistake.

I asked him what he thought smelled bad.

“Ummmmm, I think it’s you, Moma,” he told me very matter of factly.

It was not me, I assure you all.

I seen RC’s shoulders shake and knew this just wasn’t going to be good. She did manage to gain her composure a bit, and then she turned and said “Do you think your Moma smells like guck?”

S4 nodded in agreement.

Let the ground swallow me up!

When we got home, as I was undressing him to put on his jammies, I took off his boots – water/barn/swamp boots, the ones my boys were nearly all the time, obviously, since they were worn to church – I noticed how terrible his toes looked. “What is in your boots?” I asked.

“Mud.” He shrugged.

But it wasn’t mud at all. It was dog poop, in between all his toes on both feet and on the hem of his dark pants too.

He immediately was placed in a bubble bath. His boots are soaking outside on the porch.

And I immediately called RC, who giggled as only a good friend can, because she knew it wasn’t me, and yet always she will tease me about this, I’m sure.

What I don’t get though, is that I didn’t even smell it. As if I am so used to the smell of boys and farm life and ‘guck’ it didn’t even register on my radar. How sad is that? I am so cleaning my house this week and making it smell like lilacs from the bushes out back. Somehow. After many pots of coffee, I am sure.

Yup, just another Sunday night with my boys.