Thursday, April 29, 2010

Diarrhea of the Mouth

Have you ever heard someone say something stupid and you just wished they would stop talking but they didn't?

I call that Verbal Diarrhea, aka diarrhea of the mouth. It just keeps going and going.

I have heard a lot of crazy comments since having twins and even more once we had a second set of twins. It's like we're a public spectacle. We're on exhibit. And people love to comment.
Usually, the comments are sweet, or at least well-intentioned.

"You have your hands full!"

"God Bless you."

"I don't know how you do it!"

"You must be Super Mom!"

"I sure hope you have help."

"Are they all yours?"

Some comments are mildly annoying or even bizarre. I usually have a snarky comment handy in response.

"Don't you know what causes that?" ("Yes, and we're really, really good at it!")

"I would have stopped after the first set!" ("I'm so glad we didn't!")

"You should be on welfare." (Jason gave the man a stunned looked as I said "Why? He's in the Army. He has a job.")

But this week, one comment takes the cake.

As I was herding my crew across the parking lot at the PX, a lady and her husband walked by. The younger 4 children were seated quietly in the stroller and Matthew and Joshua were obediently following next to me. Everyone was quiet and well-behaved. We weren't drawing any attention to ourselves.

As the lady passes by us, she turns to her husband and loudly comments.

"I would kill myself."

And at that moment, I had no snarky response. Her comment was not directed at me, but was said loud enough that my children could hear it. I silently prayed that they didn't hear her.

"Mommy, why would that lady kill herself?"

And how do I answer that? "Because she thinks we have too many children?" "Because having two sets of twins is hard work?"

I am very good at explaining that, although having 6 young children is hard work, we are blessed. I see children as blessing, a gift from God. And so the work is good work. Unfortunately, some people don't understand that.

So folks, beware of verbal diarrhea. Don't let it slip out. I hate cleaning up after other people and I deal with enough poop as it is. Try to hold it in next time, lady.
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