what would we do without children?

Jack and I went to a viewing of a dear man last night and a funeral of another today.  Both were good men, lived honorable lives, left lasting legacies.

After the viewing last night, we stopped at IHOP for dinner.  Jessie mentioned a fundraiser for a boy from her old neighborhood at her old local IHOP, so we stopped for bacon and pancakes and eggs.

The place was a zoo.  Apparently all of her old neighborhood was there to support the ailing boy and his family--IHOP donated 20% of sales from last night to the family--and apparently everyone in her neighborhood has a bunch of kids who all wanted pancakes for dinner.

When our kids were younger we took them out for meals occasionally.  We expected them to eat their food and behave themselves, you know, stuff like staying on the bench instead of under the table, that sort of thing. 

Last night was hysterical at the IHOP.  There were families everywhere.  One mom was there with her three kids and she kept telling those little boys to get back under the table.  Apparently the dad worked there and she was waiting for his break so he could join them.  She was so patient.  And the boys loved getting under the table.

Two other families had at least six boys between them, ages 5-7 I'd guess.  The boys started a game of tag.  In the restaurant.  Around the tables, six little boys chasing and giggling, having a ball.  The best overheard comment may have been:  "Well now I have to put you in the sleeper hold."

Hysterical.  I mean, where besides IHOP can you run around and hide under the tables and use the sleeper hold?  Okay maybe McDonald's, but you can't get pancakes there for dinner, right?

There at the IHOP, last night, it was total kids having a good time with their friends, parents talking with their friends, everybody enjoying pancakes and bacon.  And 20% went to a good cause. 

I'm sure there was a time when all of that commotion would have been a bit distressing, or someone without children might have been tsk-tsking, but just not last night. 

Something about fundraisers and funerals and families made it all very enjoyable.