Never Underestimate the Power of a Good Pair of Jeans!

Today would have been the perfect day for sleeping in...It's dark, foggy, rainy and the forecast is calling for widespread rain with a side dish of rain.  And possibly thunder. But since I could not sleep in I'm consuming coffee at record speed.  


Speaking of coffee, I took the boys to the mall yesterday after school.  What can I say?  I'm a glutton for punishment who does not learn lessons easily.  Kidding.  Sorta.  They were actually pretty well-behaved this time so I agreed to buying them treats at the coffee shop. Apparently, they'd had this caramel frappe with whipped cream before when they went to the mall with Dave.  


But there was no way, no how, on God's beautiful green earth that I was about to give either of them (especially Dracen) anything containing regular coffee at five o'clock on a school night.  Okay, ever...never! The mere thought makes me shutter.  Dracen was cool with that but for some reason Devin concluded that a frappe made with decaf would not suit his needs or his taste buds which made absolutely no difference to me since I'm a mama, not a people pleaser.  


So Dracen got his decaf frappe while Devin chimed in at the last second (once he realized that I was not going to break) that he'd settle for a peach smoothie.  Then it was on to the pretzel shop next door where Dracen tried to convince me that he'd eat a regular size cup of pretzel bites with extra nacho cheese.  I had no idea what a pretzel bite even was and much less that they were sold in cups.  The girl working the counter quickly educated me by telling me that a regular size was two whole pretzels and she couldn't even eat that.  


He settled, once again, for a small which he did not finish.  Nor did he finish his caramel, decaf frappe.  Three quarters of that ended up being mine on the way home.  I didn't even know I liked cold coffee but I sucked it down so fast I got a double dose of brain and throat freeze all at once.  Devin saw me holding my throat and sticking my tongue out so he jerked his earphones out and told me to quick, push on the roof of my mouth with my thumb!  


Did y'all know this trick?  I had no clue.  But somehow, it worked.  


I also learned that those brightly colored Vans really do look a whole better with jeans.  That was the whole reason we took this little trip.  Devin announced that he finally wanted to get him some jeans.  I don't think he's worn a pair in over a year.  And I was all about anything that would get him out of those shorts/jogging pants and black socks.  


He came home from one of his little mall trips with Dave several weeks back with a bright orange pair of Vans that he wore precisely twice but would never give me a good reason as to why he wasn't wearing them.  Or even admit that he wasn't wearing them.  Each time I questioned him, he'd say, "I do wear them!"  with that tone that suggests I'm completely clueless and out of touch with my surroundings. 


To my surprise, he actually found two pairs of jeans he liked enough to commit to, along with a...get this!...long sleeved shirt!  I don't think that boy has worn a long sleeved shirt in three years. Thank you, Jesus!  And American Eagle.  


Dracen was beginning to feel like he wasn't getting the attention he well-deserved and that although he had a brightly colored pair of turquoise Converse on his feet, he too needed some of those Vans so we got him a bright red pair.  I did not see the appeal myself but who am I to stand in the way of a young boy and his expression of self?  I once wore neon green legwarmers with a hot pink neon sweatshirt, a matching Scrunchie and stirrup pants so I could not, in good conscience, criticize his choice of footwear.  


But I was taken aback at the Gap when he walked out of the fitting room where he'd paired some jeans with his newly acquired kicks.  I now understood what Devin meant five minutes earlier when he told me he would now be able to wear his Vans more since he had some jeans because this was a good look. 


Even Devin, who never dishes out compliments and especially not to his brother,  said, "You look sick!"  And to those of who may not be familiar with the lingo, that is a compliment of the highest order.  He went on to say, "That's the best he's ever looked!"  


I may not ever get those shoes off his feet.