No do-over's...

...was always the first rule of any activity with my overly competitive children, except, of course, Lauren, who got as many do-over's as she wanted, because she was the family angel and got whatever she wanted(but, because of her own highly competitive spirit, she rarely took advantage of the second rule).


A "do-over" is a rule that allows you to have a second chance, an opportunity to correct your mistakes or to, perhaps, do a better job the second time, so that you can beat your brother at target practice.  A "no do-over" rule is just the opposite, nothing, no matter how much you plead for mercy, will give you a second chance to beat your older brother at rock-paper-scissors to decide what TV show you are going to watch(like there were a lot of choices, we only got 3 channels...sometimes...sometimes only 1 or 2).




Redo's can come in handy.  For example, a bad haircut, can, after a period of growing out, be redone(I'm speaking from personal experience here).  A really bad choice of paint (for example, bubble gum pink, in your 17 year old daughter's room, the daughter who plays volleyball, can out shoot many men at a turkey shoot, and couldn't care less about make-up) can be redone in a color less specific than pretty, princess pink.  




...and then of course there are the redo's that you don't want.  For example, when your brother promises you that you are SOOO fast that if you pour water on an electric fence, you can jump back before it zaps you(thanks Dean).




...but it dawned on me last night that the reason I'm not sleeping is because I'm worried about the first rule.  I won't ever get a do-over after my mom is gone.  If I have questions that only she can answer, I better ask her now.


...for example...


 ...if I don't know how much butter to put in her secret recipe chocolate fudge, ask her now. 




...if I want to know the name of her first boyfriend, ask her now.


...if I want to know what she loved the most about daddy, ask her now.


...if I want to know what she dreamed of being as a grown-up when she was a young girl, ask her now.




...so many thoughts, so many questions.


My mom has lived with me for 7 years, but now I'm worried that I don't know her as well as I want.


Time is breathing down my neck...


...and I understand there will be no do-overs.