My daughter has a recent post in which she bemoans the embarrassment of some of her toddler's public antics, foremost of which was a recent episode in a restaurant involving a straw wrapper somehow becoming lodged in the head region of the woman in the next booth. This story somewhat warms my heart...

When my two daughters were about 3 and 4 years of age, I had the memory-making "I'm the greatest mommy in the world" idea of taking them to a restaurant for lunch one Sunday after church. Their dad was at a meeting or something, which left just the 3 of us to enjoy a little Girls Day Out.

We went to the local buffet eatery and had a nice lunch together. Everything was going just fine. I must say, I was quite gifted at managing my children in public. Right.

After a very sweet time together sharing this midday repast, we were just finishing up when an elderly man from a nearby booth got up to leave. On his way out of the restaurant, he made a special point of stopping by our booth...and he then proceeded to lavish praise on my little cherubs, affirming them in their good behavior and extolling their "good girl-ness." I, of course, was very graciously accepting his accolades.

Then it happened.

As this kind man and I were sharing our pleasantries with each other...from somewhere across the table came this high-velocity missile that impacted me, I believe, right in the chest. WHILE WE WERE TALKING...WHILE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MY PRECIOUS, WELL BEHAVED, PRINCESS CHILDREN. I think all I could muster at the time was to pretend as if I hadn't even noticed and to continue allowing him to continue in his tribute.

Hmmm...daughter of mine...I guess what goes around comes around, eh? Serves you right...