Deciding to Obey

Last Friday I hurt my back.  I'm not exactly sure how.  I wish it was in some heroic way.  It may have been when I was trying to wrench the garage door open that was jammed thanks to certain children and their shutting the hose in the door.  (I haven't mentioned it to any children though...I'm not one to guilt my children....)  All I know is that I hurt it and that it makes me feel old and sad.

I have taken a copious amount of ibuprofen and was more or less doing fine until the other day when I decided to throw caution to the wind and move some furniture.  Braeden warned me not to.  He said to wait until Dad got home.  I told him to grab a corner of the desk and move it.  Emma grabbed another corner.  I promise I mostly let them do the work.  But that day I also swept and mopped and folded laundry and did all my other daily dailiness.  And that night my back really hurt.  More than before.

It made me feel old and sad.

Adam and Braeden both lectured me.

Adam told me I shouldn't have moved things.

Braeden said he'd warned me.

Adam told me to listen to Braeden.

Then he told me that I have strong and capable children and then he told them to be my workers.

I went to the doctor which was also Adam's advice.  According to my doctor I have strained muscles and a pinched nerve.  She told me to tell my husband I need a housekeeper for two weeks. I'm not to lift or bend or "torque" my body.

I told my husband what the doctor said but I have three housekeepers already.  Ready made.  I told Mark and he got a sly grin and said, "Dad and Braeden and Emma?"

"No.  Try again."

"Gavin and Cal and Alex?" (three of his friends)

My three children have been great helps.  They're old enough to be worthy assistants and also (bonus!) I don't have to carry any of them anymore.

So my children have watered and weeded and planted a new plant.  They have done dishes and laundry.  We went to Costco and Emma pushed the cart and Braeden lifted everything that needed lifting into the cart.  I walked around like a sovereign pointing to things and having them do my bidding.

When we got home, the boys unloaded the car and Emma put things away.  They really are good kids to their poor decrepit mother.

I wish my back didn't hurt though.  It's never as much fun to be the sovereign pointing to things and having others do my bidding as it would seem.