The Scene In Which I Am My Mother's Daughter

Last weekend, my parents made the trip down to Indianapolis to visit the kiddos. Since Little Brother and I have been living together for about three months now, they wanted to check that we'd gotten everything moved in, unpacked, organized, and so forth. And, you know, not killed each other in the process.

Which was fantastic, as we....well, hadn't quite accomplished all that yet. Mom and I quickly set to tackling the last of the organizing while Dad and Little Brother installed a new deadbolt lock, a new draft guard on the door, and replaced a broken toilet seat (oh yes I said a broken toilet seat. Two guesses whose fault that was. Hint: NOT MINE.)

My mom wound up staying until Tuesday, and it was great to hang out with her and have her help me get my house back under control (a very, very, very rare occurrence in which I gave up control!) Because, you see, my mom and I are very alike in our love of all things organizing.

All of my life, I have physically resembled my dad and my dad's side of the family. And by "resembled," I mean that I am the female equivalent of his clone. Sometimes people who haven't met my dad will try to find a resemblance between my mom and I. Usually after about 30 seconds of squinting they offer something like "Your eyes are really similar!" which, I suppose, is true if you count that we both have two of them.

But on the way home Tuesday, my mom and I had a great conversation that reminded me that while we don't physically resemble each other, much of my personality comes from my mom- my volunteering, my need to be busy, my emotions, my desire to take care of everybody around me, my love of animals, my work with nonprofits....and, of course, the most important trait we have in common.

Total, absolute, chocoholics.

Actual conversation.

Mom: I'm craving something.

Me: Me too.

Mom: Something chocolate.

Me: I was just thinking that!

Mom: Like....a brownie.

Me: Ohmygod, me too!

Mom: With ice cream.

Me: Nah, with real icing. Wedding-cake icing.

Mom: Nope, I want ice cream. Oooh, maybe with a little Sander's Hot Fudge.

Me: Yeah, that's good and all, but I kind of want a brownie with frosting. And like, chocolate chips or something.

Mom: I guess. I still want the ice cream though.

Me: That's kind of weird for you.

Mom: I know?? I've really been into ice cream lately.

Me: Yeah, that's not like you at all.

Mom: No kidding! Do you know what I did last week?

Me: No, what?

Mom: Went to DAIRY QUEEN.

Me: WHOA! That IS weird.

Mom: I was reaaaaally craving one of those dipped cones- you know, the soft serve with the hard chocolate?

Me: Yeah, those are good.

Mom: What do you get when you go?

Me: I usually get a Blizzard.

Mom: Mmm. Those are good too.

Me: I get the ones with the Brownie pieces.

Mom: Yum. Maybe I'll make brownies when I get home.

Me: Yeah....or maybe I'll get a Hostess at the gas station when we stop. I think a Suzy Q could do it for me right now.

Mom: Mmm....I don't know. Maybe.

Me: Or a cupcake.

Mom: Yeah, maybe a cupcake.

We may not look like each other, but she's definitely all my momma!