Privacy is Privacy

If you think Halloween is scary, read below. So, I found this little story that Ashley wrote a few weeks ago, and laughed out loud as I read it. I'll type her version, then I'll tell you my version below:

"Privacy is Privacy" by Ashley Bytheway
It all started on a Saturday evening when a baby-sitter came to tend us when Mom and Dad went on a date. Right when Amandee (babysitter) walked in the door, she sent us upstairs to get ready for bed. We marched upstairs like a bunch of elephants.

When we got up there, she said, "I will let you stay up if you can get ready fast enough." I was the first upstairs. I raced into my room. Andrew snuck in and saw a pair of Natalie's underwear. he picked it up and started to laugh as he said, "la la la la la la, Natalie's underwear." I joined in. I shouldn't have.

I started to laugh and Natalie ran to Amandee and yelped, "Amandee, Andrew and Ashley are teasing my underwear!" I went on until Amandee walked in and said, "Natalie says you guys are making fun of her underwear." Then she walked away because Timothy needed something. I resumed teasing the underwear. I wondered if Natalie would blurt it out to Mom, but I stopped worrying when Amandee put on "Cars," a Disney movie.

When Mom got home, I had forgotten all about it. Nothing happened...Natalie said nothing...until morning. I go tup as Mom woke me after a nice dream. She got me into the tub and washed my feet. On my left foot, Natlie walked in and said, "Mom, last night, Andrew and Ashley were teasing my underwear." Mom glared at me. My heart was at my throat. I wondered what my punishment was. Mom said, "I'll have you wear your underwear on the outside..." she paused and said, "in fact, that's a good idea." She got me out of the tub. I walked to my room. I thought, "she'll forget."

I walked into my room ready to put a nice dress on, hoping she'd forget her "great idea." Just then, she walke into the room, giggling and said, "remember, underwear on the outside of your clothes!" I was furious that she remembered. Then I grinned. I thought I was SO clever. I peeked into my drawers. There was a pair of black pants that only I approved of the Sabbath. They were nice. I wondered what a skirt would look like with underwear on the outside. (horrible.)

So I chose the pants. I put the underwear on the outside of the pants. I was still mad. I saw an extra long shirt. It was pink, but I managed to cover most of the underwear. I grinned. I wondered what Andrew looked like. I snuck into his room. It was the funniest thing I ever saw! He was wearing SUPERMAN underwear! It was great to know I was not alone. Natalie came in. She almost died with laughter. I asked her to tell Mom that she forgave us. She said nothing. She ran away giggling. I frowned. I was never going to forget this day.

I made a plan that I would leave the shirt up when I was going in to the church, then I would pull the shirt down when I got to the primary room so nobody would stare. Suddenly Mom called "come downstairs." I ran down the stairs. "Into the car" she said, pointing to the garage. I went to the car, forgetting my scriptures. Dad started the car, and we went only two football fields (200 yards) to church.

When we got there I could not stand it. I pulled down my shirt. Mom was laughing behind me when I walked in the door. We got to the nursery, and I pretended not to care, skipping like a happy dog.

Suddenly Mom whispered, "Sister Pyper wants to see you." I walked outside. Sister Pyper whispered, "I think your bottoms are inside out." "I know," I said, skipping away happily. Mom then pulled me into the corner. She told us how disappointed she was, and told me and Andrew to put on some new pants for Andrew and a black skirt for me. I acted disappointed. Mom stammered, "Oh, you WANT to wear underwear?" I shook my head. After, I walked to primary. It was a good lesson because we talked about modesty. I felt horrible. THE END

Mom's note:
When I got home and Natalie told me about Ashley and Andrew's disrespect, they were totally unrepentent. I tried to get them to realize that some things are sacred and personal, but they wouldn't stop giggling. (this lasted all Sunday morning long.) Truthfully, I wasn't REALLY going to let them wear underwear outside to church, but they were kind-of giggling a bit all morning, and weren't acting like it was a punishment at all. Boy, when we got in the car for church, you should have seen Andrew....FURIOUS and so upset. I knew the lesson was learned. I think they thought right up until the last minute that I would relent.

Truthfully, I hadn't planned on anyone seeing them like that....we arrived at church a full 15 minutes early to avoid other people, but alas, Ashley's teacher was early as well. I pulled them into the empty nursery and told them that even though THEY had made a mockery of private things, I wasn't going to further the mockery by making a mockery of the church and having them wear underwear outside in the Lord's house. They were both grateful, even though Ashley was trying to be so "tough" about it, acting like she didn't care either way. I know it seems extremely harsh, but for us, it was a great lesson for two giggly and unrepentant kids to understand the point. (and to realize Mom is serious when she makes seemingly unreasonable threats.)

Now, I know I'm really putting myself up to a lot of criticism by posting this, but in reading Ashley's story about it (complete with illustrations), I realize we can all laugh about it now, and that we look back on it as a lesson learned. (Incidentally, she read the story to me, sentence by sentence as she wrote it. We laughed together the whole time.) --Kim