For Once I Admit Being A Packrat Has Its Advantages

Anybody remember what a record is? Well, we have D’s parents’ old stereo system with working record player – remember those big, heavy furniture pieces? We’ve lugged this thing, which was already an antique when we got married, around with us through 13 years of marriage and several moves, and it’s always a challenge finding a place to put it in any house we live in. Right now it lives in the boys’ playroom/storage room (they do not have a closet in the upstairs bonus room they share, so this room suffices for storage of their stuff. Yes, I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the need to organize it and throw away my little packrats’ supposed “treasures” again…).

Anyway, M is home from school again today – he was still feeling under the weather this morning, and I thought maybe he needed one more day just in case he’s still contagious, seeing as he hadn’t been on the antibiotic a full 24 hours yet this morning. He’s feeling quite a bit better this afternoon and he asked if I would play a record for him. I told you my kids are weird – I bet none of their friends even know what a record is!! Even better, we still have some records that D had when he was little and some that were mine that my mom kept for years until I took them home with me. M is now listening to one I used to listen to when I was his age. It is a musical about the 10 Commandments, with each commandment sung in the style of kids from different parts of the world.

While I was cleaning the bathroom next to the room he’s in, I could hear M singing along about the only true God. Ya’ll, that just melts this mommy’s heart. M is really self-conscious if I acknowledge his singing, but I just love to listen when I catch him singing along with a praise song in the car or with this little record. I’m so glad my mom saved it, and I’m even thankful for my husband’s packrat mentality that has led to us dragging this heavy, inconvenient record player around all these years. Once in a while, I guess packratting can be beneficial! Shhhhh, don’t tell D I said that….