Coming of Age

I remember the glorious day when our oldest son Jamaal took over lawn-mowing duties.  It was like a get out of jail free card for Joe and I for the summer.  The best thing about Jamaal is that he was always really big for his age (he's currently 6'2" and 350 pounds) so he started mowing the lawn at a really young age. 

It wasn't always awesome either.  There was the time he dropped the mower off of the retaining wall... and the time he burned himself somehow on something hot.  And the time he couldn't stop and ran right over the top of the flower beds.  And he pitied the fool that left a toy or something out in the yard because when it was time to mow, it was toast.  There was no bending over to pick it up.    

But Joe and I were living on easy street, sitting on the porch sipping on a cool drink watching our boy mow the lawn in the dead of summer.  We had it made for about 8 solid years.  Then the boy had the nerve to grow up on us.  Sigh.  All good things must come to an end.  The worst part was that the year Jamaal grew up was the year Joe moved to Virginia.  So lo and behold, lawn duties suddenly became mine, all mine.  That was no good. 

Joe and I have been patiently waiting for Justice to be "able" to mow the lawn.  He's been "old enough" for a few years already, but he's been too small in stature to get the job done.    We've been trying to fatten him up like the crazy old hag in Hansel and Gretel for  years to no avail. 

Finally this year, we decided that it was time.  The lawn-mower is self-propelled for crying out loud, he can figure it out.  We broke the news to him at the beginning of the summer, that by the end of the summer and after we were done traveling that he would become the lawn-mower.  Surprisingly enough, he didn't gripe or complain.  He's not that kind of kid when it comes to physical labor type things.  He gladly takes them on.  Folding laundry though... cries like a two year old.  

Anyhow, we got back from our last trip on a Friday evening, and he was mowing his first lawn by Saturday at noon.  And he did a great job.  And he was excited.  He liked it, he said.  And that is good news, because he will be doing it until the day before he leaves for his church mission when he turns 18.   From this past Saturday forward, we will not have to mow a lawn until 2031. Jack will take up the slack when Justice leaves for his mission, and Jacoby will take up the slack for Jack when he leaves.  And by 2031, we will hopefully have a grand-kid to relieve Jacoby.

(disclaimer:  I did not pick out the boys clothing.  Apparently he thinks black, red, olive green, and sky blue make a great outfit for mowing the lawn.  Me personally?  I couldn't care less what he wears so long as the grass is mowed.)

Ha!  And you people thought we were crazy having all these kids around at our age!  You just don't know we planned our kids around our dislike of taking care of the lawn.