Flyin' Away

Ok, I have problems with inappropriate laughter. I tend to laugh at things that would be funny if you watched them in a movie, but aren't funny when they are happening to you or a friend in real life. I've laughed in pretty much every unacceptable situation - not because I'm so overcome with emotion and it just emerges as laughter. No, it's because usually in the middle of some type of nonfunny event something strikes me as funny. Maybe it wouldn't be that funny normally, but when you aren't supposed to laugh, or perhaps it's something that is a bit off color and you don't want people to realize that your mind is in the gutter (happens more often to me than I'd like to admit) - that is when I tend towards uncontrollable laughter. I'm talking tears in the eyes laughter. I would share some of those stories but it would take too long and I think they are usually better told in person.

I brought this up because of a little incident today that had me thinking - "what kind of mom am I to laugh at that?" I didn't think about it for too long because Matt was laughing as well and together we both can't be that bad! Actually just picturing it makes me start laughing again. Just a warning - like I said before, funny stories are usually funnier when told in person and I am not that good of a writer to do it justice - but I'll try. Set the bar low....

As we left church today Ella was clutching her precious bag of pretzels that she got after much begging and pleading from the vending machine (we meet in a YMCA and have to deal with the temptations offered in the vending machines outside our worship room). We were late to church so our car was parked pretty far away and Ella was walking along behind Matt and Catherine and I was about 20 feet behind them. Ella tripped on a speed bump and fell (no I didn't laugh at that - what kind of person do you think I am!?). She started to cry - understandably. The pretzels fell on the ground - not sure if which fall, the pretzels or hers, made her cry more. Matt stopped to help her and I tried to catch up. A big gust of wind (I'm talking big...) swept up and the pretzels and the bag start flying everywhere. This upset Ella more so she got up and started running after them. I was impressed and in that split second I thought "wow, Ella is running fast!". What I didn't realize until a second later was that, no Ella did not develop lightening fast speed, but the wind was so strong and so fast that it was making her practically fly - right into the side of a car about 8 feet in front of her. There it is. I laughed to the point of tears because my daughter ran/flew into a car. It was one of the times I wish I had a video camera somehow permamentally connected to my eyes. Ella was completely fine - upset about the pretzels and wanting the wind to go away, but she wasn't scarred by her parents' laughter.

Anyone else have the tendency to laugh when you shouldn't? Willing to share? Post it on your blog or leave a comment - we all need some laughs on a Monday morning!