A little boy came up to his mother in the kitchen
one evening while she was fixing dinner, and he
handed her a piece of paper that he had been
writing on.  After his mon dried her hands on an
apron, she read it, and this is what it said:

For cutting the grass: $ 5.00
For cleaning up my room this week: $ 1.00
For going to the store for you: $  .50
Baby-sitting my kid brother while you went
shopping:  $  .25
Taking out the garbage: $ 1.00
For getting a good report card: $ 5.00
For cleaning up and raking the yard: $ 2.00
TOTAL OWED: $ 14.75

Well, his mother looked at him standing there,
and the boy could see the memories flashing
through her mind.  She picked up the pen, turned
over the paper he had written on, and this is
what she wrote:

For the nine months I carried you while you
were growing inside me:  No Charge
For all the nights that I've sat up with you,
doctored and prayed for you:  No Charge
For all the trying times, and all the tears
you've caused through the years:  No Charge
For all the nights filled with dread, and for the
worries that I knew where ahead:  No Charge
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping
your nose:  No Charge
When you add it up, the cost of my love is:
No Charge.

When the boy finished reading what his mother
had written, there were big tears in his eyes,
and he looked straight up at his mother and said,
"Mom, I sure do love you."
And then he took the pen and in great big
letters he wrote:
"PAID  IN  FULL"