The twins

Back in 1999, I had twins. Not twins like you would think of, like suddenly I'm going to shock everyone that I have two children that no one ever knew of. No, it was the first grown-up purchase I had ever made. I became parents to two wonderful twins named Washer and Dryer.  

Washer and Dryer came into my life in around 1999 when I was roommates with Alma. Alma and I had our first apartment after graduating from college and we decided after six weeks of going to a laundromat that was just not going to cut it. 

We went to Best Buy to purchase Washer and Dryer. Alma had a credit card that had a big limit of $600 and I applied for a Best Buy credit card that came back with the total limit of 500!

Washer and Dryer served us well for 2 years. Then like so many couples Alma and I separated. That meaning she moved in with her boyfriend and I have my own apartment closer to my boyfriend. That boyfriend now being my husband, Frank.

Washer and Dryer went with me from my very first apartment to then my second apartment to then finally my third apartment that was on the third floor. My brother and my dad moved Washer and Dryer up three flights of stairs to what would be my last apartment before I got married and moved into a beautiful house.

Washer and Dryer came to our new house with us. Frank and I were thrilled to have the twins with us. It was one less thing that we had to think of in all of the chaos of moving.

About six years later, Frank and I moved with our beautiful 4 year old and the twins to Granbury, Texas. Now I know you're going to ask "Why all this random information, Jennifer?"

Well, it is occurred to me that Washer and Dryer have now trained me for what I predict it will be like in raising my daughters as teenagers.

You see, Washer and Dryer are almost 16. Washer is the more gentle of the two. She still will actually wash the clothes without too much complaint. Although, there have been a few times where Washer gets so agitated that she shakes herself in front of the laundry room door. This, of course, prevents me from getting into the room. It's as if she has locked herself in her room as a protest to new detergent. I have to literally go around the house through the garage into the garage/laundry door just to get into the laundry room. Washer doesn't throw these fits very often but it is quite irritating when she does. 

Dryer....now he is a whole different kind of teenager. First, it takes him at least 2 to 2 1/2 hours to finish the chore I have given him. No matter how small or large the load, the time is the same.  I have to go in every 30 minutes to check on him. And during all of that, he whines through the whole thing. You heard me, he whines.

Suffice it to say, Washer and Dryer sometimes really test my patience. However, I am grateful to have had this wonderful time with them. Almost 16 years with these appliances has been a blessing. It's one less thing we have had to purchase in our years. I am hoping that our twins can survive with us till they're 18 or 20 or if the gods really love us 22.

I am also hoping that I will have the same patients with Katherine and Emily when they get to this age.