Happy 15th Rebecca!

I often wonder if I can embarrass my daughter in public, but she says I can't. So I don't.

"Mom, you can't embarrass me with any of your crazy behavior; It doesn't bother me" she told me one day.

I was devastated. I must admit that I do love a challenge; most especially one that involves embarrassing one of my kids. I mean, after all...kids need to be embarrassed every now and then by their parents. It builds character and teaches them to love even if they don't approve of someone.

There was this one time when someone who looked strangely like me walked into the local mall with her daughter and with a sly hand and eyes looking straight forward, decidedly slipped the pants off most of the mannequins in her path. That only made her daughter laugh hysterically and beg for more. Didn't work.

There was this other time when yet another Georgie look-alike, while driving her daughter to school... which is situated near a most liberal minded area of town... spied a college student carrying a clear plastic bag filled with something green. At the realization that the student was mearly carrying green beans, the Georgie look-alike rolled down her window and shouted out to the student, "Don't drop your marijuana!" This display of child-like behavior only brought forth more hysterical laughter from her daughter that she left the car telling all her friends what just happened. Didn't work either.

Then there were the numerous occasions that our fearless look-alike would attend many a dignified concert settings at which her daughter was performing, and would insist on yelling, BEEECCCCCAAA---BOOOOO!!!!! when the crowd was quiet. This attempt to embarrass only got our look-alike in trouble with her most dignified husband who was sitting beside her.

Her latest attempt was at a recent, spectator packed, football game where our look-alike was spotted in the stands with her other children, armed with balloons, signs and chocolate....prepared to surprise her daughter with a birthday pep rally as she marched off the football field after performing with the marching band. This attempt at embarrassing her daughter only got our look alike and her boys a coy smile from afar!

Now I am a dignified youth worker in the Catholic Church, and would never subscribe to such juvenile behavior. It would be beneath my vocation as a mom and a youth minister to behave in such ways. If you see this look alike around town, tell her to stop the madness. But in the mean time....can I borrow someones whoopee cushion?

Happy 15th Birthday to Rebecca! We love you!