You Do What?!?

I love going to the movies. I don't get to do it often enough, but enjoy it immensely when I do. I take the kids to the movies whenever there's something out that's appropriate for them. People hear me say that I'm taking the kids to a movie and they say, "What? You're taking three young children to the movies? By yourself? Really?" Yes, really. I've done this for the last, oh, going on 5 years now. When I first started doing this, I had a 7 year old, a 4 year old, and a 3 year old. Now, they're nearly 12, 9, and nearly 8. I want to brag on them a bit, because they're quite wonderful. They're loud at times, but wonderful just the same. We go to the theater, get our tickets and popcorn and soda, sit in our seats, and enjoy the soporific ads prior to the movie. We notice all the parents and children around us, and the scene is rather mutinous. My children and I, however, just sit there, joking with each other, waiting patiently for the movie to start. Once the movie starts, the kids don't ask me questions about the movie, they don't really comment on what's going on, and they don't get up and move around. On rare occasions, a trip to the bathroom is necessary, but it's the absolute last thing they want to do. These children of mine are dreams to take to the movies. My good friend and Kailey's science teacher, Kelly, and our dear friend, Heather, have witnessed this on occasion, so you can verify this with them. Some of the best dates I've been on have been going to the movies with my kids.