No Charge

One little boy came up to his mother and handed her a piece of paper. After his mom dried her hands on an apron, she read it:

For cutting the grass. $5.00
For cleaning up my room this week. $1.00
For going to the store for you. $0.50
Baby-sitting my kid brother. $0.25
Taking out the garbage. $1.00
For getting a good report card. $5.00
For cleaning up, and ranking the yard. $2.00
Total owed: $14.75

His mother looked at him standing there, expectantly. She picked up the pen, turned the paper over and wrote:

Nine months I carried you while you were inside me: No Charge

The times I've sat with you, doctored and prayed for you: No Charge.
For all the tears that you've caused through the years: No Charge.
For all the nights that were filled with dread, and the worries I knew were ahead: No Charge.
For the toys, food, clothes, and even wiping your nose there's No Charge, son.
And when you add it all up, the full cost of real love is, No Charge.

When our song finished reading what his mother had written, there were great big old tears him his eyes. He looked straight 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."