Another Day in Paradise

I sent this update to a special friend and felt it was blog worthy. Enjoy.
It’s funny how if I had written on Sunday, my letter would be completely different. Sunday was my first Fast Sunday that I have participated in for about a year (prego/nursing). Anyway I was totally on a spiritual high and thought my girls were absolute angels.
Monday, while Katelyn was at preschool, Abby slept until 10 and Sarah and I made pie crust together. She made little S shapes with cookie cutters in the leftover crust while I assembled the chicken pot pie filling, baked acorn squash with apple dumplings, toffee and hard boiled eggs for the salad. I cooked for like 5 straight hours to make a feast and invited my parents for dinner. The girls played so well together and I got dolled up and felt rather accomplished with my sparkling home to boot. My mom was supposed to work that night but was able to come at the last minute because she was called off her shift and we had a lovely evening.
Tues was another day in paradise doing fall yard work as a family for Nate’s day off. We trimmed bushes, trees, and roses; made burp cloths for a neighbor baby and went visiting with other neighbors.
Then TODAY the dream popped. I loaded up the 3 girls solo and drove 45 minutes to a pumpkin patch for Katelyn’s preschool fieldtrip. It was truly miraculous that we could muster a picnic lunch and have everyone dressed and packed to arrive in time. When we arrived at the ticket counter, Sarah decided she was finished with walking. When I gave her the ultimatum to stay or go home she bawled. I told her I couldn’t carry her…side note-stroller had a flat and I was carrying Abby in a climbing backpack. Anyway I couldn’t carry her and Abby at the same time. She cried louder. In the swirling mess of preschoolers I had several mom’s approach her as though she were lost and needed help. Which just made her cry harder. By the time we got to the animals she was a sight to behold. We spent an hour trying to cheer her up but someone bigger constantly knocked into her creating another scene. Katelyn got her finger squished by a dad climbing to rescue his kid from the top of a slide and the workers asked me if I needed a first aid kit because everyone heard Katelyn’s blood curdling screams. Of course Katelyn ran straight to her teacher and got a kiss and her loves made it all go away. Abby lost her binkie about then and all eyes were on me, “Oh you’ve got your hands full.” No offers for help just shock and awe. By the time my girls jumped the line for the train ride and threw corn kernels in a little girl’s hair I was just going with the flow. If you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em strategy? Who knows. We made it to the hayride with only a lost shoe from Abby but the tractor trailers were all full. The girls tried to be strong but at least we only had quivering lips. I caved during the wait simply to abate them by buying the kettle corn that was for sale. When our ride came the girls dashed off in the patch in two different directions and neither would relent to follow the other and of course they were the last two to get their pumpkins snipped from the vines. Brother! We had to squish our way back on to get back and when getting off a little boy nearly sent Sarah face planting off the back in his hurry to exit. His mother told him to just push his way thru. Nice, eh? When we got home from this crazy day (there was more with feeding the three of them, carrying pumpkins and searching for shoes but I will spare you), my mother-in-law invited us to dinner. I thought Ah Salvation. But a spit-up greeting, cottage cheese food fight, potty accident & crying ensued. After putting them to bed I heard little voices and thought they were having bad dreams. Nope-they were using the nightlight in the closet to illuminate their play and subsequent fight over toys.
Boy it was a LONG day. Deep breaths but I am chuckling at the review. At least my camera and video recorder were out of batteries so I will soon forget their antics and hopefully have some better fun days decorating for Thanksgiving with them, selecting books & Halloween costumes. There was a brief moment during family scripture reading (got this scripture recite idea from conference) just before they went to bed when I was bursting with love but it quickly popped when I found them in the closet. I just pray to have the patience and energy required to teach them how to behave while allowing them to know they are loved. Hang in there and who knows, maybe today your little ones were perfect angels.
Love ya, Stacey