Definitely a Top Twenty

Today I had what has got to be one of the Top Twenty most hilarious/crazy-fun/interesting experiences of my 8 years of mothering. In my own mind, this experience is sort of the epitome of our life in Never-A-Dull-Moment-Land.

This afternoon my three bambinos and me went and got pedicures together at our local nail salon. In so many, many ways and on so many, many levels it was an off-the-charts experience.

The fact is that it all kind of happened unwittingly. We have a very special occasion coming up this weekend. I had planned to get a pedicure today in preparation for it. But our babysitter had to leave at 2pm, and the big deadline project that I had looming at work took much, much longer for me to complete than I had anticipated. So, I had to rush home straight from work with no time for my planned stop for a pedicure on the way. Out of desperation, and on a whim, upon arrival home, I said to the kids: “Jump in the car! We’re going to the nail salon! I’m getting a pedicure, and anyone else who wants one can get one!”

I knew Meera would jump at the opportunity, which she did. What I hadn’t expected was the Kyle and Owen jumped at the chance too. And so off we went. And amazingly, as walk-ins, the salon could accommodate all four of us at once.

So, there we were, me and my little crew, all lined up in the massaging-pedicure-chairs, getting pedicures together. We each had a different nail tech, and all four of them spoke Vietnamese together at a very rapid pace, clearly confused with our family make-up, and getting quite a kick out of us, but none of them spoke much English. Of course, us J-Ms speak fluent English, but no Vietnamese. So, there was this massive language barrier layered on top of an already quite unusual nail-salon-situation.

The boys went nutso, in love with the vibrating massage chairs and the remote controls that control them, and had about a million questions about every tool, salt scrub, creme, and oil that was used on their feet and legs (almost none of which could be answered because of the language barrier). Meera was in her element as the Little Diva, quiet as a clam, and enjoying every minute. And I was there, just sort of laughing at the whole entire thing every single step of the way.

It was a hoot.

I wish I could blog here and now about all the gory — and hilarious/crazy-fun/interesting — details. I mean, all wrapped up together here we’ve got race, class, gender, ‘family,’ culture, beauty, identity, socialization, ETC. But, alas, I have way too much to do to prepare for the very special occasion we have coming up this weekend to be sitting here blogging.

I hope that someday, when I’m old and gray and needing some memories to brighten my day, that this blog post will remind me of how much FUN I had when my kids were young, and how INTERESTING (i.e., never dull) our family life was.

Over and out y’all~~ I’ll catch you back here in a week of so!