Accountability

Am I the only one that makes sure something is finished when I know I'm going to be asked about it? Please tell me I'm not the only one!

Mom is great about asking those little questions. You know the ones. The topics I mention in casual conversation...the things I need to take care of. Like renewing my passport....or that my car registration sticker had never come in, even though I'd mailed off the renewal form/check....those topics. Just the little everyday things that we adults have to take care of and sometimes get mentioned in conversation...you know, casually. Yeah, those. Mom is great about bringing those up later.

Mom: "Did you get your passport renewed?"
Me: "I realized I can't currently find my passport. So I have to look for it first. I probably did something stupid...like actually put it where it belongs, instead of where I usually keep it."

Two days later...in just a regular conversation.

Mom: "Have you had a chance to find your passport?"
Me: "Nope. Haven't even looked for it. I'm sure it's somewhere."

A couple more days pass....

Mom: "So, where did you find your passport?"
Me: "I found the copy of it. But not the actual thing yet."

A week or so after that.

Me: "Hey, I found my passport! I've looked online and found out the details of renewal. I'll take care of it over Spring Break."

Mom comes to visit over Spring Break. We organize and clean out closets, separate the 'maintenance' items from the 'food' items in the pantry, do a little work in the garden, shop and run all over town. Mom grades papers and cooks meals for me for the next couple of weeks. I sort through clothes and make a bag for Goodwill. We talk and laugh and cry.

She leaves on Wednesday.

Thursday afternoon, we're chatting for a few minutes.
Mom: "Did you get your passport renewed?"

Me: *sigh* "Not yet, but I will!" =)

This is just one example. She asks about other things too.

PS: In all fairness, while sometimes I am annoyed by her questions and want to respond "I'm almost 30 and pay all my own bills. I can handle my errands and little odds and ends, too!" really, I do appreciate her asking. It shows she cares. Even about the little things. She listens when I talk. She wants to help. And I love her for it! (Shhh, but it really does make me gets those little things done a little faster, too. Because I want to be able to say, "Yep, finished!"

So today, I called AT&T and figured out my wireless internet problem, called the tax assessor to figure out how to handle my vehicle registration (since they'd never received the check I mailed in), AND called my complex office to figure out how to do DVR since the cable is billed in bulk.

Next time, she asks about a few things, I can say, "Yep, finished!"