I just have to ask--does your family have conversations like this? I’m just wondering. Because, sometimes I cannot believe the things I hear when I sit around with my family.
Over Easter weekend our 4 grown kids all came home to visit. One daughter brought her dog, a crazy pit bull mix named Sailor. Sailor is a rowdy dog who captures everyone’s attention. Sailor never sits quietly in the corner. She is always looking for excitement, or creating the excitement herself. She is up for anything. She keeps us on our toes.
At night, I was sitting on the sofa with 2 daughters, one being Sailor’s mom. Sailor boldly pushed her way onto the sofa, squeezing into a spot between the girls. She was promptly removed from the sofa. Then, after a few minutes passed, when she obediently listened to her mama, she was given permission to join us on the sofa. So, she settled in between the girls, taking up as much space as she felt like she needed.
That’s when the aforementioned conversation began........
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Daughter #1: "Gross! She smells like butt!"
Daughter #2: "I hate it when she smells like butt."
Daughter #1: "I hate it too. Oohh, she smells terrible."
Daughter #2: "Does she smell like metal butt or regular butt?"
Daughter #1: "Just regular butt."
Daughter #2: "OK, good. It’s a lot worse when she smells like metal butt. I hate that."
Daughter #1: "Yeah, me too. That's the worst."
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So, I ask again. Does your family have conversations like that? My family members usually speak normally. They know how to talk in polite society. They don't have gutter mouths. They can carry on conversations with people from various backgrounds in a variety of situations. Yet, I hear conversations like this all the time. And I never get used to it. I am like: What are yall saying???? Why are yall saying that???
As my kids know, the word butt is one of my least favorite words of all. I will avoid it like the plague. If you hear me using that word then you know I mean business. I have no other choice. I have to use it to make my point. But, in this case, it was not me saying it, it was other members of my household. As we sat on the sofa with Sailor curled up between my daughters, I couldn't understand why they went back and forth, back and forth, carrying on and leaving that word hanging in the air, over and over and over again. Was it really necessary?
I guess I should give you a little context. Sailor, as I implied, can be a little high-maintenance. Seems there is always something that needs to be handled or tended to when it comes to Sailor. Apparently, when Sailor smells like regular butt, it is just typical dog stink. But, when she smells like metal butt, that means she needs to go the vet to get her anal glands squeezed and drained. Unless, you want to get trained to do it yourself at home. Then, you can express her anal glands all by yourself without paying the vet tech.
Were any of you thinking about getting a dog? Have a convinced you to do it? Ha Ha. Oh, how we love our pets.
I shake my head at the conversations that I hear in my home. But, my take-away is that I am thankful that my kids and the rest of my family feel comfortable with each other. That they don’t have to guard their words or watch what they say. They can be themselves. They can talk in shorthand. They can reference shared knowledge. They can relax. They can be understood.
I am thankful that to us, being together is what makes our home a home. Not saying that there aren’t arguments. Not saying that we always get along. Not saying that we don’t have disappointments and misunderstandings. But even with all of those things, I think that we get each other. We understand what makes each other tick. We understand each other’s lingo. And, we support each other. I am very thankful for that.
Here's a new sticker I just got. Reminds me of how our family supports each other--
We don't always agree, but we try to be there for each other. And, I think we CAN all agree that metal butt really is the worst. Pee-YOO!!