I knew I was going to have a busy Saturday. I woke up early and left the house. I needed to have my brakes looked at and so I ended up being the second person in line at the Honda service center and that was a good thing. They work on a first come, first served basis. From there, the shuttle brought me home and as the children slept, I began the mornings routine. Exercise, coffee mixed in with prayer and solitude - it just doesn't get any better. After cleaning the shower, the sink and the toilet, I began to straighten up my bedroom and then myself. As the morning progressed, my middle son arose, he is usually the first one up every morning. He came into my room, mumbled a good morning, gave me a kiss on the forehead and ambled back into his room. I smiled, said good morning sweetie and smiled some more as he walked away. An inch taller than me already - 12 years old. Oh my. My daughter and her best friend had fallen asleep in the living room floor, blankies, favorite stuffed animals and pillow pets wrapped around 9 year-old cute little girls sprawled together - sweet. I walked around them, as I continued with the morning. After all done, I began the weekly process of cleaning out my purse. This entails throwing away balled up pieces of paper, notes-to-self that have to be recorded into a word document so that I can remember what I am going to write about next, and then finally the task of recording the receipts and balancing my checkbook. When all the big numbers are finally tallied and become the smaller real numbers I am satisfied. The Honda dealer calls, I am whisked back to pay for the job done and then to the grocery store, the gas station and back home. It is 12 o'clock. When I drive in - everyone is up now. My older son is in his room, listening to his music with headphones and playing a video game, my middle son is sitting in the room with the older son on his bed on the laptop, my diva daughter and her diva friend are in the living room watching one of their favorite tv shows - SpongeBob and eating bowls of cereal - wonderful. The sun was streaming through the windows. The fish were swimming in the tank and Jimmy, the rabbit, was lying outstretched in his cage - appearing to enjoy the good life. All kids said good morning. I returned the greeting with kisses all around and up to my room to get dressed. I had a hair appointment to get to.

At 5:30 I was leaving the hair salon, terribly cute , relaxed, fulfilled and fabulous. I enjoy getting my hair done because my stylist is not only a good stylist she has wisdom that comforts and enlightens.

On my way home. I check in with the kids and find out that my oldest son's friend has arrived. OK with me. He then says "oh mom, when I was doing my pull ups I kicked a hole in the wall'; real casual like. My voice squeaked, raised an octave and I exclaimed, what?!! I then became immediatetly tired. He said I am sorry. I hung up. When I arrived home and walked into the door, there was tension in the air. I looked at the hole. I shook my head, I exhaled. I put my things down and then went outside and began to fill a bucket with soap and with water. I was going to wash the van. My sons , their friend and my daughter and her friend - just looked at me, waiting for something. I said nothing. After about an hour, I was done. While outside I had relaxed. Put it all in perspective and realized that this is just one more thing that has to get done. The wall will have to be repaired and life will go on.

As I finished, my sweetie drove up. I smiled. He got out. He hugged me. I smiled. I told him about the hole. He said, 'if it's not one thing its another and smiled.' He walked in the house and looked at the hole. He came out and said, I can fix that, no problem and I said thank you because I know he can fix it - he has fixed everything.

When dinner was being served, my older son, his friend and my middle son were in the dining room. My older son comes into the kitchen and asks me if I am mad. I said, no honey I am not mad, I am disappointed. Disappointed because you didn't bother to call me when it happened. You waited until I called you. He turned around, and sat down next to his friend and said oh man, I hate disappointed. His friend said me too I hate disappointed. They both had their heads down. I then told him, it is over now, you have learned a lesson so let's get on with it. I'll be alright. He told me he was sorry, again. I said I know.

A disappointed son, like the prodigal son in Luke 15, learns that his father always loves him even when he messes up, he can come home. I love my son and regardless of what he has done and will ever do, he is learning that disappointment hurts more than yelling and screaming. He did not intend to kick a hole in the wall, he just did. I was disappointed because he didin't 'fess up. Disappointment gives us a sense memory that lasts and one that creates a feeling that we don't want to feel again.