We're Just Carryin' On an Old Family Tradition...

William Doherty, Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University of Minnesota, believes that family traditions provide families with four important things: predictability, connection, identity and a way to enact family values.

My sister and I are laughing wildly, and dancing in the living room. The radio is on, and instead of singing the actual lyrics - "So take a letter, Maria. Address it to my wife. Say I won't be comin' home, gotta start a new life" we're singing "So take a letter diarrhea. Address it to my wife. Say I won't be comin' home, gotta start a new life (on the commo-o-ode)". Every time we say the word diarrhea, it cracks us up even more, until we can barely stand. We are laughing, and it feels dangerous and daring - if my mom heard, we would, no doubt, get a mouthful of soap.
I can still taste the Ivory* now - bleh.

So, the other day in the car, a song came on - and both boys belted out "Something's getting in the way, something's just about to break. I will try to find my place, in diarrhea paa-a-a-ain." Loudly, in harmony. Then cracked up laughing. (actual lyrics are 'try to find my place in the diary of Jane') I guess some things have changed in our family traditions - 'cause I was cracking up too, right along with them, no Ivory in sight or mind.

* Did you know if you microwave a bar of Ivory it will puff up like a cloud? Takes about 2 minutes, and is very, very cool. And your whole house will smell like Ivory!