After lunch

The second post about my day yesterday:

After lunch, which was leftover tacos from my favorite place near Mimi's house, I went to check the mail. Or did I do that before lunch? I'm not sure.

Anyway.

I worked on my blog post and tried to figure out how to change the pictures on my header, (thanks to Heather, there's a great how-to video waiting in my inbox,) then Joy woke up. She slept an hour and 11 minutes. No three-hour marathoners in my family on a day like today. Cat napping always accompanies crazy days. It's part of the deal.

I finished doing the dishes, (from breakfast-yuck) and loaded the dishwasher again with Joy's help. I trapped her in the high chair for the last few dishes for her own safety.

The phone rings.

The home phone this time.

It's the pest control people telling me they'll be here tomorrow morning, (which would be today now,) I say okay. I don't think I really have a choice, do I? The other phone rings while I'm on the phone with them. I hang up and answer my cell phone. It's Sean checking in. He's still sitting in his hotel room by himself. What I'd give to trade places with him. My right arm doesn't seem like a big enough sacrifice at this point.

I tell him they'll spray around the house tomorrow. He tells me he cancelled service with the company a month ago and they shouldn't be coming.

I tell him to call them. I mean really, what else is he doing? I actually say this out loud. I was bitter and jealous at this point. I talk about what I'd do with two hours of time by myself and he says when he gets home I'm off duty for a few days. Um okay. Deal.

He takes over the chore and we get off the phone.

The door bell rings. Even though there's a note on the door that says, "PLEASE DON'T RING THE DOORBELL." I look out the window and see a salesman. No thank you. I decide to be mean and let Max just keep barking for a while since he's probably already woken Charlie up with his barking. At this point you're wondering why I still have Max after all the drama he causes. If you know my husband in real life feel free to make the suggestion that we give Max to a deserving family. I've tried. He loves Max. Max obeys him. He has had Max longer than we've been married and for the love of all that is good and holy I can't get him to agree to send Max to the deserving family he needs. Anyway.

Since the dude at the door rings the doorbell again I open it and let Max almost jump on him. It scared the guy to death, which, to be clear, was my point. Then I told him to please read the sign next time and that I wasn't interested in anything he was selling thanks to how irritated I was that he had the nerve to ring the bell. That's a lie. I actually just said, "No thank you." I did let Max scare him a little bit. Is that bad?

It's getting close to time to pick Ty up so I get Joy ready to go and thankfully hear Charlie jumping in her bed. I run upstairs and grab Charlie, throw both girls into the car and go to pick little man up.

We walk in the door at home, (it takes 41 seconds to get to and from school-I timed it) and get everybody a snack. Charlie wants Ty's, and he wants hers. Easy. Switch bowls. Joy steals Ty's bowl and causes a meltdown.

I grab a stack of books and just start reading. I don't care what I'm reading but I just keep on until the crying stops. They all three gather around within a few seconds and just sit quietly. Magic. Why don't I do this every day I wonder. What have I been doing with my free time? Make mental note to try this often.

Before I know it it's the witching hour and I realize I need to get out of the house. They all do too so we load up and call Brooklyn's, our local pizza place, and order three slices of cheese pizza. One for Ty, One for Charlie/Joy, and one for me. 8 dollars for dinner. Can't beat that. Nutrisystem and the healthy-minded diet that follows it is not for days like today. We pick up the pizza as planned and head back home.

Get the pizza cutter out and cut the pizza. They shovel it in as if they didn't eat lunch. Wait, did they? I think. Yes, yes they did. I don't know why they're so hungry but I just keep cutting. Before I know it I'm cutting the last piece. Charlie and Ty have both eaten at least a whole piece by now because Joy hadn't made her way over to the high chair yet. DO WHAT? Once she gets into the high chair it's pizza for everybody.

But me.

Nutrisystem it is.

We all go outside since the pest people did not, in fact, come thanks to a friendly, (or not) call from Sean reminding them that we cancelled service/membership or whatever it's called. Fun was had by all outside and everyone cried when it was time to come back inside for baths. The mark of a good activity: crying when it's over. I take that as a strange compliment. Good job, Mar, they had fun. They don't want to leave. Mental note: take them outside after dinner every once in a while to let them have one last hoorah.

Bath time was seamless minus the empty bottle of Pantene from Costco that was half-full before bath time. What's one bottle, (okay half a bottle,) of shampoo when they sang songs and didn't splash when I told them not to. Whatever money was lost in that bath full of bubbles that Ty created while I wasn't looking was made up for in fun.

Bed times were easy for me on a night like tonight. I kissed foreheads and said "I love you's," and went downstairs to watch TV and zone out. And here I am, zoning out. I just had to record the rest of the day for you first so you can have lots of sympathy. And send me gift cards for spas and stuff.

That last part was just kidding. Kind of.

All I really want out of telling you about a day like this is to know that someone out there is going through it too. We are all in this together. Moms of the world unite! Fight till the end. Stay strong. God has given us this job and intends for it to mean something. To help little people learn about Him.

That last part is humbling for me after a day like today. I hope I've done a good job but I know that I've failed my kids at times when I snap or twitch or stop smiling. It's normal, it's part of it, but I'm trying to do better about patience and grace. Now I'm really gonna cry. This job is hard.

Lord, You helped me today. You always do when I ask for it. When I admit defeat and lean on You for answers, You are ready to give me a solution. Thank You for the little hearts that you've entrusted to me. May I teach them well and not groan quite so much tomorrow. Amen.