Monday, April 12, 2010

A Lifetime of Funny

Okay, so you know that road trip we went on last weekend? It required approximately twelve hours of driving. Six there, six back. I know a lot of adults who don’t like being in the car that long, let alone kids.

Before you ask, no, we don’t have a DVD player, portable XBox, Nintendo, or Playstation in our family vehicle. (I know—so archaic!) So what’s a family to do for that many hours? Well, we aren’t completely in living in the stone ages. We do have iPods. But you can only leave those little buds in your ears for so long. We hadn’t gone far before we were chatting, being silly and laughing.

During the drive, I remembered why I write for children. They’re infinitely funnier than most adults, much wiser, and far less jaded.

Take my nine-year old. We’re on the road, driving past lots of billboards. He looks up, sees an advertisement for a casino and, looking puzzled, says, “Two dollar craps? What the…”

He was so serious. So truly confused. I’m still laughing. And I won't even discuss with you the ensuing debate over whether it’s pay or be paid.

Not much later, we passed a sign. Watch for falling rock. My DH pipes up, “When I was a kid, my older brother told me Falling Rock is a lost Native American kid. I spent hours and hours of my life looking for that guy.”

We had a good chuckle over that, but it wasn’t hilarious until the next day. We passed a gray-haired Native American man hiking nearby, and one of the kids shouts, “Hey, I think I found Falling Rock!”

Yeah. We’re a strange bunch. But living life through the eyes of my children gives me a since of wonder and fulfillment that nothing else in my adult life ever could.

Besides, they’ll always keep me laughing.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Those stories are priceless! It's amazing how much fun everyone can have with the electronic devices turned off! I actually love driving in the car for long periods of time. Though from Utah to VA in a week gets to be too much! :D

nephite blood spartan heart said...

I look forward to my kids being a little older so we can have fun on family trips-right now they are still so little they get pretty ornery.

Nichole Giles said...

Nisa, I'm with you. I don't actually mind driving--unless my kids are ornery like David's. Which--btw David--happens at any age, especially 16. *grumble grumble*

Still, we have some great memories from stuff like this. Thanks for commenting!

Anonymous said...

Sounds like your family is filled with joy! So glad you spent quality time with your family and had a great vacation. =]

Nichole Giles said...

Thanks L.T. I really can't complain at all, can I?

Keith N Fisher said...

LOL.