“You don’t understand! We’re staaarrrrving!” our children whined and begged as we deplaned at LAX. We hunted for the “perfect” place to eat … a place on which everyone could agree. With four teenagers, that is easier said than done. Thank goodness for California Pizza Kitchen!
Personal pizzas in hand, we found a “quiet” corner in which to eat and rest before our connecting flight to Oakland, California. While happily munching, John and I people watched and the kids teased one another and talked excitedly about the trip. We could hardly believe that we’d been engaged for less than a month, and we were now winging our way to the West Coast to get married! Our first true family adventure!
Little did John and I know, those pizzas (well, pizza boxes) would help illustrate the distinct character and nature of each of our children. Information we would refer to many times over the following years.
***
Long before the sun arose that morning, we had stuffed too many bags and too many people into John’s mid-size SUV. Being the smallest, but not by much, Josh begrudgingly shared the backseat with duffles and suitcases. The bags leaned precariously in his direction.
“They’re falling on me!”
“You’ll be fine,” John told him.
Much to his dismay, John proved correct. Josh survived the 40-minute drive to the airport.
***
First to finish his meal, Matthew quietly approached the trashcan next to our bench. He attempted to throw away his empty pizza box, pointy-corner side down.
Doink, doink! Doink! Doink, doink!
With each failed attempt, Matthew moved the box a quarter turn. Though each corner fit perfectly into the round opening of the trashcan, the box invariably got stuck midway.
Square box, round hole … what to do!?!
Doink, doink! DOINK!!! He became visibly frustrated … “I can’t do it!”
“Uh, Matthew, you need to think outside the box,” John said.
“Literally, think outside the pizza box,” I added.
This didn’t help. He tried again in the same manner as before … same results.
“Matthew!” John said, chuckling a bit.
“What!?! It won’t go in!” He thrust the box toward John in defeat.
“Matthew,” John leaned in toward the box, opened the lid, and undid the tabbed flaps. The box became flat, which made it possible to easily fold the box and put it into the round hole.
“Oh.” (Translation: “Thank you ever so much, Father, for so graciously teaching me this valuable life skill. You are amazing!”)
Matthew returned to sit with the other kids. John and I shared a laugh and began people watching again.
Not two minutes later, Molly walked up to the trashcan with her pizza box in hand. She quickly assessed the situation and determined that this could be problematic—square box, round hole.
She looked at us and laughed nervously. We quietly watched. How would she solve this predicament?
Doink, doink. Doink. Yes, she began by trying the same method Matthew had used.
Unlike Matthew, though, she quickly moved on to Plan B. Placing the pizza box over the mouth of the trashcan, she shoved the box into the hole with all of her might. She smiled at us, shrugged her shoulders, and walked back to the group. Mission accomplished.
Almost immediately, Jonah stood beside the trashcan, pizza box in hand. Deftly, he flipped open the box’s tabs, flattened the box, folded the box, and deposited his trash. He cocked his head at us as if to indicate, “What’s the big deal? Piece of cake.”
Not surprisingly, Josh had taken his time and appeared beside us last.
“Uh, Mr. O’Connell?”
“Yes, Mr. Loewe?”
“Uh, do ya’ want the rest of my pizza?”
“Sure Josh.”
That’s right, Josh had effectively figured out at way to have John take care of the trash for him.
***
Yes, even in our blended family, no two children are alike. Their distinct approaches to life lead to much laughter, great challenges, opportunities for celebration, and chances to love one another through it all … even when that proves difficult.