Hey Mom,
I'm not saying you did take the silver platter from the house and I am not saying you didn't take it but the fact remains that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.
Love,
Your Son.
Dear Son,
I am not saying that you do sleep with your roommate and I am not saying that you don't sleep with him and you know I love you and could care less either way but the fact remains that if he was sleeping in his own bed he would have found the platter under his pillow.
When are the two of you coming for dinner?
Love,
Mom
I honestly didn't know what to post this under, because I have two series that are currently running on my blog, "The Joys of being a Parent," and "The Woes of being a Bad Parent." Warning: Since this video seems to have gone crazy, I figure I'll post this notice. I'm going to read a letter my 15 year old daughter wrote. There ARE some curse words in it. None of them are incredibly bad, but they are definitely things a little kid shouldn't hear... not to mention things MY KID shouldn't say! If you want to see the original Facebook thread, it's located at: http://www.facebook.com/tommyjordaniii/posts/299559803434210
So on a snowy winter day, a momma is pulling her child on a stroller (pulling, not pushing), when she rushes to cross the street. Except, momma forgot one important thing, the child she left behind. 
My dear Jacob,
As I was going through a box of keepsakes, I came across a Christmas list you had written when you were a young boy. On the list were things we could easily find in stores, and I always enjoyed finding them for you, wrapping them up and putting them under our tree. You were always so appreciative and opened them with great joy. The joy Papa and I felt was even greater.
There is only one gift I want to give you this year. I have wanted to give it to you for many years. I have tried in every way possible to find a way to give it to you. It would bring me the greatest joy of all.
How do I give you equality? How do I give you back the years you have missed "not being equal" in this world?
Your high school and college years should have been ones where you dated and went to proms and dances with someone you were attracted to and wanted to spend time with as a couple. You should not have had to spend those years working for your equality. You should not have had to defend your dignity. You should not have had to miss out on the simple pleasures of a young teen and a young adult.
There is no way I can give you back those years, those times when you should have been having fun, enjoying life, and growing from those experiences.
You had a passion for justice even as a child. I remember when you were 4 and refused to eat supper until I had actually written the check for Save the Children. You were the watchdog in your kindergarten classroom after you felt your teacher was wrong to rip up a child's painting in front of the class in her effort to teach them to write their names on their papers. On that day you spoke truth to power so eloquently as you confronted your teacher after school.
As soon as you came out to us, you wanted to start a gay/straight alliance at your high school. We worried for your safety, but even more for the isolation it might have brought as you worked to make it happen. You reached out to students, teachers, and the administration and created your school's first gay/straight alliance. When you were in college and heard that there were students being kicked out of colleges simply because they were gay, you founded the Soulforce Equality Ride to confront that terrible wrong.
Each of those times you taught me to take action and not be silent in the face of injustice. You have led me, and you have taught me throughout your life.
Maybe that is why it is so hard for me to face Christmas each year and not be able to wrap up the one gift I most want to give you. As a mother, it is such a part of my being to want to nurture and love my children. It is the mother in me that wants to protect and provide for you. It is the mother in me that is hurting so much when I am helpless in being able to give you the one gift I have wanted to give you since the day you told us you were gay.
I want to give you equality. I want to wrap it up in a beautiful box, and I want to put it under our tree right now. I want to see you open it on Christmas Eve and with great joy live with it all your days.
I love you,
Mama
You see, this is what The Joys of Being a Parent is all about. If you can't handle this, then you shouldn't have kids. LOL. Just say'n.Mommy was not feeling well and had to stay in the bathroom longer than usual during which my two boys, ages 1 and 3 took my new bag of flour out of the cupboard and destroyed my house. This is from ONE 5lb bag. Don't believe me? Hand a full bag to a 3 year old and see what happens.
Bry? Uhh... Melissa and Bethany and Aunt Susan said they all like my status. What is that? They commented on my status. Is that the same thing as that thing you made up for me or what? Cause I don't quite get it. Just let me know when you have enough time 'cause I'm going up to Cameron Park to go to the Wal-Mart I have to check on somethin' so... I have my phone on, 'kay? I can't figure that out, what they're commenting on. I wish they would have SAID something. I think it's one of those 'likes'. But I don't know what they like. What do they like? Okay, bye."
"My mother was in a nursing home in Utah towards the end of her life and I was in Florida. I'm not gay, but my best friend since kindergarten is gay and we have lived together several different times over the years and we were doing so at the time of this story.
My sister called me out of the blue to tell me mom was telling everyone I was gay.
My sister told her, "No, Mark and Doug aren't boyfriends. Doug has a boyfriend." My mom teared-up and said, "Oh, no! Does Mark know?"
I've always loved my mom, but loved her just a bit more when I learned that she wasn't really concerned about me being gay, but she was terribly upset that my supposed boyfriend was cheating on me."
