Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails....and Frogs

Michael was 15 at the time and in the basement skateboarding. He comes upstairs and is sobbing but he doesn't show anyone but me and quietly calls me to come see him.

As a mom, the first thing I am looking for is bodily injury. My eyes automatically flick over his body looking for blood, protruding bones, growing lumps, bruises, etc.

Finding none, the next thing I think is a fight with his girlfriend (who he talks to on the phone while boarding sometimes) but the phone is on the charger, so it's not that.

He starts walking back to the basement and nods his head to follow. The next thing I think is that he boarded into something and broke it and it has to be something important because he is so upset. My mind is flashing as I'm searching the basement as I walk down the stairs...washer, dryer, water heater, basement windows, all still standing and in tact.

He brings me over to the other side of the basement and points to the floor, still not saying anything because he's crying. On the floor I see what has him so upset, but can't really tell what it is. I have to ask him, and he breathes deeply in that sobby, can't quite catch my breath way and says...It's....a ..frog. I.. came off... the... board ..and.... stepped... on... hi-i-im. He was just heartbroken. :(

I hugged him (thinking it's just a frog, but clearly not saying or even looking like I was THINKING such a thing). And then he says, I saw baby frogs too, what are they gonna think when they come out and see this??? He was just sobbing about this. I just kept hugging him telling him it was an accident and not his fault.

So we cleaned up the frog and put him in a box. I said I would do it and he could go wash up and take a breath but he refused. He wanted to do it. Afterwards, he went off by himself for a bit in his room. Before bed he came and hugged me, all calmed down and said, Thanks for the help with the frog, Mom. :)

This is something I will always remember. Teens, they wanna be so tough...so independent of MOMMY, but I love that when the going gets tough...the tough get going...back to Mom. :)

See ya next time! :o)