My little girl came up to me in the kitchen this evenin'
While I was fixing supper
And she handed me a piece of paper she'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
For makin' my own bed this week, one dollar
Goin' to the store, fifty cents
Playin' with little sister while you went to the store, 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 dollars and seventy-five cents

Well, I looked at her standin' there expectantly
And a thousand memories flashed through my mind
And so I picked up the pen, and turnin' the paper over
This is what I wrote

For the nine months I've 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 ties, folding clothes and for wipin' your nose, there's no charge
When you add it all up, the full cost of my love is, no charge

Well, when she finished readin' she had great big old tears in her eyes
And she looked up at me and said, "Mommy, I sure do love you"
Then she took the pen and in great big letters she wrote, 'Paid in full'
When you add it all up, the cost of real love is, no charge

Writer : HOWARD, HARLAN
Copyright : Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC