Five little monkeys

Being a mom is kind of like micro-managing a band of monkeys. There are a constant slew of little fires to put out, one after the other. I don't know this from experience. I mostly just know if from stories and pictures from the early years of the Randy Rice family. Mom, being born and bred for the art of motherhood, wanted six children. She ended up with the five of us; Haley, Ryan, Aaron, Hannah and me.

I can only imagine the daily trials of just trying to get everyone up and out the door. Haley, being the oldest, sort of played back up for Mom while being able to fully manage her own schedule. For the first couple of years of their lives, Mom was doing good just to be able to keep Aaron and Ryan dressed long enough to venture into society for a few hours. Hannah's little duck fuzz hair was constantly matted looking no matter what you did to it, and I'm pretty sure they just stopped trying at some point. And it took me all too long to learn how to catch myself with my hands before busting my face on the ground, so Mom had to worry that any second Child Protective Services was going to be knocking on the door.


At some point in time, I'm guessing when I was between four and six, Mom had a brilliant idea. All she needed was some note cards and gold stars.  The note cards would contain our morning routine, and all the little monkeys had to do was read the note card, follow the instructions, and happily receive their gold star. It was foul-proof. Except that one unnamed child had taken a little longer than the rest of American first graders to learn how to read.


This was no issue for Mom though. She would not be stopped by her daughter's illiteracy. She simply had to alter the plan. And here is what that new plan looked like:

Wake up.... super happy.

Get dressed

Fill up those Rice chipmunk cheeks with some cereal

Hang out in a slanket

Try not to get any more cavities than you already have

Brush that crazy hair out

The old "gold star" trick always works

This is just one example of what a great mother Mom was and still is to me and my siblings. She has been a source of encouragement and strength to each of us when we have needed it, and I know that we all really cherish that. Thank you for being so sacrificial for our sake, Mommy. We all love you so much. Happy Mother's Day.

Mom with Haley up top, Hannah beside her, being adorable as always, Ryan to the left and Aaron to the right. 

Mom with Hannah on her left and me on the right at Old Faithful.

Me and my sweet mommy.