Buying Underwear With My Dad

This is not your usual title for a blog, is it? I was reminded of this experience this morning while I was combing Colby's hair for school and he started to giggle and said, "You said little fellas to Grandpa". Those of you who know me really well know that I am the youngest of 7 children by 11 years, six of us were girls. I guess I should start out by saying, my Dad and I have a unique relationship. Dad wasn't home much when the older kids were growing up, he was a long-haul truck driver and was trying to support a family. So, when I came along, 11 years after Jana, Dad's job had changed and he had the privilege of raising a daughter. Me.

Growing up, Dad and I spent a lot of time together. When I was nine, Mom decided to go back to work full-time and her job was six days a week. This left Dad and I home alone on Saturdays and some of my best memories of my childhood come from these days with him. Him and I did everything together from working in the garden to flocking our Chrismas tree with Mom's Electrolux vacuum and then nailing the tree to the family room floor because it was top heavy. Dad spent a lot of time telling me stories from his childhood and playing an imaginative game that we titled "The Zoo Game".

Needless to say, if Dad had a degree in raising a daughter, he would have a PhD. from raising me! I taught Dad everything he knows about girls. When it comes to my my Mom and Dad, there wasn't anything that I didn't share with them. This has created a open relationship with them. They both always knew about my friends, boyfriends, what people were doing at school, and my feelings about everything! I now have a child of my own that mimics this same characteristic. I remember the first time I had my heart broken, Mom and Dad shared in the grief with me.

So now that I have given you a general idea of my childhood and my relationship with my parents, maybe now you will see the humor in this experience with my Dad. When Mom and Dad were here the end of January and into February to watch Colby and Taylor while Ryan and I were in Hawaii, Dad decided he needed new underwear. The Saturday before Ryan and I left, Mom, Dad, Colby, Taylor, and I headed to Sacramento to buy Dad new underwear. When we arrived at the store, it was busy and packed! I could see my boys instantly start to squirm. I thought to myself that this better go quickly or the mischief would set in with Colby and Taylor. Dad gets up to the counter and tells the lady what he wants and she says, "Do you want boxers or briefs?". Dad looks at her and says, "What's the difference?". She then proceeds to try and explain to him the difference between boxers and briefs.

Now at this point, it is imperative for me to describe the lady behind the counter. She was the poster child for ultra-conservative! Very modestly dressed, old-fashioned, but not an old lady. She probably has never said the word "underwear" in her life because to her it was probably a swear word and here she is trying to conservatively explain the difference between boxer and briefs to my Dad with a slew of people waiting to be helped. I realized if someone didn't step in, we would be there all day, and I would probably miss my flight the next day. So I stepped up to my Dad and whispered in his ear, "Boxers let your little fellas hang loose and briefs hold them tight." My mom, in an effort to defend me and our family name, turns to the lady and says, "Only she can talk to her Dad this way". Dad looks at me and laughs! Then he turns to the lady and says, "I really don't care, I'll take some of both".

Colby and Taylor are still in recovery over this scene that unfolded before their eyes! In all honesty, I wouldn't change my relationship one bit with my Mom and Dad. They have been the very best parents for me and I loved my childhood! I love my adulthood because they still play a big part in my everyday life. I love you Mom and Dad! Mom, Dad? Can you hear me? Is this going to disown me?