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January 21, 2013

53 Shirts = A Mother’s Love

29 Comments/ 3202/ 0

P1120212

 

I just got home last night from a wonderful 10 days of fun and rain and snow.  While the weather did not prove to be as beautiful as we had hoped it would be in either Texas or North Carolina the time with family and friends was beyond wonderful.   I would not trade good weather for the experiences that I had the past 10 days, trust me.

The majority of my time was spent with our youngest son at his townhouse in Raleigh. Aaron has done such a fabulous job of decorating and getting it all personalized and I love to stay there.  We have our own room there now since he is sans roommate and he is always such a gracious host.  One night when he had a work dinner he arranged for his friends to take me out to dinner so I would not be by myself.   How sweet was that?

Aaron is a very busy young man.  He is very driven and takes a lot upon himself in hopes of getting a bit farther in his work world.  He was always the one who was the entrepreneur—selling golf balls and cookies on the golf course (read my post about this here) and selling anything that was not nailed down on Ebay or Craig’s List. He is going places, mark my words.

The one area that he might lack a little in is in the ironing department.  He has adopted the “Iron As You Go” philosophy which works for him.   What it means is that when I arrived on Monday night I had to remove huge piles of clothing from the bed in order to sleep.  It usually is “my job” to clean it up when I visit.  It is not “assumed” that I do it but I do.   It is not a requirement for staying with him—it is just part of me being mom.  And you know what?  It works.  Aaron even put s nice tv in my room and hooked up Netflix and Pandora so I had the comforts of everything that I needed in order to clear the bed!!!

I decided to start watching “Cheers” from the very first show and since there are 100 episodes I figured it would keep me going while I ironed!  I was right.  And so I started and the stats are as follows:

  • 53 long sleeved dress shirts
  • 21 pairs of pants
  • 4 pairs of shorts
  • 18 polo shirts—long and short sleeved
  • 14 sweaters that just needed a little steam put to them
  • 5 suit jackets that needed a few wrinkles ironed out
  • 5 handkerchiefs
  • 15 episodes of “Cheers”

Is he a bit of a clotheshorse??? Perhaps a bit—he gets that from me.  Did I enjoy doing it??  Absolutely.  You see with every shirt and pair of pants that I ironed I said a prayer for him.  And that, my friends, is what makes the experience of being a mom and doing mundane tasks like ironing a spiritual experience.  I know a lot of you will think that this is a ridiculous thing for me to do—-that somehow I am doing him a disservice by doing this but I kid you not—–it is one of my favorite things to do for him.  Yes, he does iron when I am not there.  He is capable.  But it is also something that I can do to help him and why on earth would I not do that for him when I can pray while I do it???

Is there something that you do for your children or another loved one that people don’t understand why you do it???  I would love to hear what it is!

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Cheers clothing household chores ironing lifestyle North Carolina prayer life Raleigh
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29 Comments

Leave a comment
  1. Minnesota Prairie Roots
    January 21, 2013 at 08:18 am

    Here’s a perfect example of why you are such a wonderful, wonderful person. You take a mundane task and turn it into a positive via prayer for your son. I know I keep repeating this. But here’s another devotional, Beth Ann.

    Aaron sounds like a great young man, which is no surprise to me given his parents and upbringing.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 08:35 am

      Thanks, Audrey!!! That was a sweet comment. He is an amazing young man—who would have thought that little kid who clung to me would be able to overcome the shyness and be so professional in everything! Not me!! You just never know, do you? Beaming mom.

      Reply
      1. Minnesota Prairie Roots
        January 22, 2013 at 03:43 pm

        Yes, these children of ours do continue to amaze us, don’t they?

        Reply
  2. Diane
    January 21, 2013 at 08:49 am

    So glad you were able to spend time with your boy, ironing and all! xoxo Diane

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 08:55 am

      We had an absolutely fabulous time with the boys, especially, over the weekend at the UNC game. There is nothing like family time!

      Reply
  3. Diane
    January 21, 2013 at 08:50 am

    So happy you were able to spend time with your boy, ironing and all. Fifteen episodes of Cheers, whew, you’re a trooper. xoxo, Diane

    Reply
  4. Rorybore
    January 21, 2013 at 09:05 am

    Note to self: throw out iron. 🙂
    you though, are a very good mom!

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 11:38 am

      Hehe—I think I actually bought him the iron if truth be told….and the ironing board…

      Reply
  5. bocafrau
    January 21, 2013 at 10:16 am

    I think, it’s a very sweet thing you did (do) for him. Every time, he takes out one of the things you ironed he’ll think of you and probably thank his lucky stars that you are his mom. I can see myself doing this for my boy when he’s older. It seems such a motherly thing to do and I know, I’ll always mother my kids in some way!!! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 11:37 am

      Chris says I have to have something or someone to mother so I think it is just part of who I am but hopefully it isn’t a smothering mothering!

      Reply
  6. TBM
    January 21, 2013 at 10:43 am

    I’m still baffled by how much ironing you did and I can’t focus on the question. Can you come stay here?

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 11:37 am

      🙂 I know, I know. It is a bit ridiculous, isn’t it??/

      Reply
  7. poemsandponderings
    January 21, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Ironing? Do people still do that? My wife battles with the laundry everyday. And everyday the laundry wins! LOL Aaron is indeed a lucky man..

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 11:36 am

      The funny thing is his washer and dryer are wayyyyy better than mine and I think if he just hung them up right away about half of it would be taken care of but hey–he is a busy guy!

      Reply
      1. poemsandponderings
        January 21, 2013 at 12:05 pm

        It’s the same problem/solution here.. But I’m not going to be the one to bring it up… Otherwise I will be told to do it myself.. Discretion is indeed the better part of valor..

        Reply
        1. Beth Ann
          January 21, 2013 at 01:56 pm

          Haha!!! Very true!

          Reply
          1. poemsandponderings
            January 21, 2013 at 04:33 pm

            I know, I know..32 and a half years and counting..

  8. Helen Brown
    January 21, 2013 at 12:03 pm

    Now I know what I can do the next time you visit me, put all the clothes that need ironed on your bed. Fact is, I do not do much ironing anymore. I am sure Aaron appreciated his mother’s help.

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 01:56 pm

      I would be happy to !!!! Let it pile up!

      Reply
  9. Amy Prentice
    January 21, 2013 at 12:30 pm

    You are a great mom, Beth Ann! I would do the same for mine! In fact, I usually wash clothes for them when I am up in Penna. or down here at our house. And, I actually enjoy doing that….guess it’s the Mom in me! So glad you had some quality family time together!!! Wishing I could be with my two but probably won’t be til spring! I would love to throw the iron out the window, however, I am ironing more and more of hubby’s shirts because they are all COTTON! ugh! Whatever happened to perma press???? lol

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 01:56 pm

      You would do the exact same thing—I know you, Amy!!!! It is the Mom in us and that is a very good thing!

      Reply
  10. kristic90
    January 21, 2013 at 01:27 pm

    I am not a parent yet, but I think it is so beautiful that you were able to use something as basic (and HELPFUL) as ironing to bless him (and yourself) with prayer. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 01:55 pm

      Thanks so much for the kind words! I truly appreciate it!!!!

      Reply
  11. My Odd Family
    January 21, 2013 at 05:02 pm

    I don’t iron ever… but I do make my boy ‘breakfast for the road’ every morning and put it in his car—before he leaves in the morning. It is not expected (if it were, it wouldn’t happen) and I like doing it–I say a pray too.which usually means a slap on the roof of his car and an admonishment to take care of my kid or else :-D.
    It’s lovely that you do this for your son in such a mindful way. I might make my visits closer together tho….just sayin’

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 21, 2013 at 08:26 pm

      I love the lunch idea—and yes—I agree that we do it because we want to!!! I think you might be right about visiting more often…….

      Reply
  12. pattisj
    January 22, 2013 at 12:31 am

    You win Mom of the Year! If there is something I am able to do to help my daughter when we visit, I try to do it. But sometimes, I just need to spend time with them. Our visits are only a day or two. How sweet that his friends took you out. Now that’s a cool mom that a son would trust with his friends. 🙂

    Reply
    1. Beth Ann
      January 22, 2013 at 07:42 am

      My visit was for 6 days and he had a lot of work stuff going on so he was pretty busy but hey—I am happy to see him when I can . Plus I got to go see my friends in Mooresville this time since I rented a car so it was a fabulous trip.

      Reply
  13. Wave All Your Fingers At Your Neighbor Day,Fettuccine Alfredo Day
    February 07, 2013 at 02:24 am

    […] 53 Shirts = A Mother’s Love […]

    Reply
  14. Ding Dong The Iron is Dead! – It's Just Life
    February 07, 2013 at 06:01 am

    […] I guess out of the choices that would be my pick as I am sure it is many of yours but I must say that I am a little bit sad that the piece that I usually got stuck with ended up with as a child is now going to be eliminated from the popular board game.   I think it is definitely a sign of the times.  The iron is a thing of the past.  At least for some.  If you remember my post of a few weeks ago you know that it is still a very big part of my life (Click here to read my tale of ironing) […]

    Reply

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