My little boy came
into the kitchen this evenin'
While I was fixin' supper
And he handed me a piece of paper
he'd been writin' on
And after wipin'
my hands on my apron
I read it
and this is what it said
For mowin' the yard
five dollars
And for makin'
my own bed this week
one dollar
And for goin' to the store
fifty cents
An' playin' with little brother
while you went shoppin'
twenty five cents
Takin' out the trash
one dollar
Gettin' a good report card
five dollars
And for rakin' the yard
two dollars
Total owed
fourteen seventy five
Well I looked at
'im standin' there expectantly
And a thousand mem'ries
flashed through my mind
So I picked up the pen
and turnin' the paper over
this is what I wrote
For the nine months I carried you
Growin' inside me
NO CHARGE
For the nights
I've sat up with you
Doctored you
prayed for you
NO CHARGE
For the time and the tears
And the cost through the years
there's NO CHARGE
When you add it all up
The full cost of
my love is NO CHARGE
For the nights filled with dread
And the worries ahead
NO CHARGE
For advice and the knowledge
And the cost of your college
NO CHARGE
For the toys
food and clothes
and for wipin' your nose
There's NO CHARGE son
When you add it all up
The full cost of my love is
NO CHARGE
Well when he finished readin'
He had great big old tears
in his eyes
And he looked up at me
and he said
Mama I sure do love you
Then he took the pen
And in great big letters
He wrote PAID IN FULL
When you add it all up
The cost of real love is
NO CHARGE