reaping the benefits from an 8 year old's identity crisis

so, last week was the Egyptian mothers day. Although I am positive this holiday is not an indigenous one and is in fact mimicking the Hallmark-happy days of praise in the West, it did seem to inspire several of my children to earn any ass-kissing points possible.

Now, when I was in grade school, I did not think of my teachers as human beings with real lives outside of school, let alone parent figures. However, in the grand tradition of sucking-up that seems to have taken root during the primary years of the children's schooling here, I recieved more Mothers Day presents than I know what to do with. I came back from every class with a trash bag full of wrapped presents. While opening these presents, I had to admit a sad truth: opening wrapped presents no longer holds the excitement and wonder it once did for me. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful for everything I have recieved, but I no longer feel that rush of "I just want to tear off this wrapping to see whats in there!" I once felt. Sigh. The loss of this feeling along with the absense of the desire to write on my hands can only mean one thing...I'm growing up. We all knew it would happen.

But, I did open all of the presents, and some were great and some will certainly be regifted, so if you recieve any of the following from me when I return, it means I don't care about you enough to buy you a real gift:

-a green pashmina
-a beach towel (this one was handed to me in a plastic bag with no explanation, though it came in handy on the beach this weekend...thats a future post)
-2 candy dishes
-a baby-doll dress clock (it's exactly what it sounds like)
-2 Egyptian boxes (perfect for regifting)
-a hello kitty clock
-a candle holder with read glass hearts
-3 picture frames
-a gold Cleopatra jewelery set that included a necklace, earrings, and a pin (is it wrong to regift only part of the gift...because I want that pin...I'm getting into broches)
-a cow salt and pepper shaker set (quite possibly the best gift)
-2 bathroom-art paintings of tulips
-"airflame" perfume
-a coffee mug (that has pictures of mugs on it...it blows my mind)
-one fake rose

NO GODDAMN CANDY...these kids don't know me at all

None of these compare to that time one of my kids accidentally called me Mommy and then got all embarrassed...that was a great day.
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