One night as a family we piled into the minivan to go out for dinner. After a trivial argument about who gets to sit in the front seat, we made our way to the celebrated “Red Robin”- the home of the bottomless fries. Just the title alone gave us all a thrill. In our minds, we pictured endless salty hot and crispy potato sticks. Could these fried appetizers be the tool to bring world peace? Do the world’s diplomats just need to try a bottomless fry campaign?
Ok, no. have you looked at us Americans lately? Bottomless fries have created a Bottom problem. Skinny jeans might try to slim the rear but it just causes the extra to be pushed up creating a muffin top crisis. No bottomless fries won’t promote world peace, but they definitely created peace among the Singleton tribe.
Pulling into our driveway later that night everyone abandoned me in the van. As I sat there enjoying the silence, these three words mysteriously came to me. “Hunker Down Low!” In my best Granny voice, I whispered them, right there in the front seat, with no one around. Leaning out the passenger side window I spoke them to the side mirror, “Hunker down low.”
Going inside I tried my new phrase on the kids, ‘Hunker down low,” I said, but they stared blankly. I decided to try again with a bit more granny twang “Hunker down low, come in close, I’ve got something to tell you.”
Gaining their full attention I began to explain the wonderful blessing of the modern shower. How it beats the old water hole idea by a landslide. Seeing they weren’t convinced I told them, “Hunker down low from their heads down to their toes, Hunker down low.”
By God’s grace, they all took showers that evening and a pleasant odor returned to our humble abode.
In the morning the three words were still a fire in my bones, so after all three tweens/teens were dressed I said: “Hunker down low, come close, I’ve got to tell you-uns' a nugget of truth.” Unaware of my plea they scurried around finding shoes and combing hair.
Stomping my left foot on the floor I exclaimed with a quavering voice, “This mother needs a hug, life is too short to leave her destitute of a little neck squeeze before you run off to get an education.”
All three of them stopped in their tracks to stare at this magnificent creature most commonly referred to as "Mom." Being compliant I received three hugs before they left in a flurry for school.
For the next week, those three words would come to me. Playfully I would share them with the kids. We laughed at my silly granny impression. It turns out I could only hold an accent for 30 seconds before it spun out of control into crazy.
With such simple silly moments, we have fought the tension that comes with the shift in dynamics as kids become teens, as “easy going” turns to “erratic emotional.” I have always found it hard to look beyond the present parenting stage. It always seems like this moment is the biggest challenge I’ve faced yet. Who knew that parenting would continue to pose new challenges? Maybe you feel the same way in your life.
Regardless if you have kids, life can feel like a rollercoaster. You just got around the bend when you hit the secret tunnel! What was that? Or the triple cork screw that leaves you in serious need of a back adjustment.
Can I just tell you in my most southern granny voice, “Hunker down low, come near Darlin, hang on! Life is hard but God is good. He will see you through this one, just Hunker Down Low!”
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