Truth Be Told
Tonight the kids and I had the privilege of joining our sweet family friends, the Tarka's, for dinner. It was Taco Tuesday night at Taco Mesa (and $1 ice cream scoop night at Baskin Robins, conveniently located next door) so we thought it'd be a great idea to meet up there. Mark wasn't able to join us, so it was just me and the three, plus Mr. & Mrs.T with their three. And they treated, woo hoo!
Shae and I were talking it up, or trying to at least, and at one point she asked me, quite earnestly, "so, do you ever feel overwhelmed?" For a millisecond I was super stoked because I thought if she has to ask then I'm doing a great job of hiding my overwhelmedness. Go me!
Aaaaaaaand turn on the neon "Pride Cometh Before the Fall" sign above my head right about NOW.
The rest of the evening consisted of me trying to coax Addison to eat so she could have an ice cream afterward, taking (plastic) knives away from Ben, saving Troy's life due to a faulty highchair and his excellent leaping abilities (especially when my lap and/or food is inches away from him), taking a cup of water away because somebody thought it was a great place to stick random table condiments and dirty hands, cleaning up a spilled said water cup after a premature second chance was given, all the while trying desperately to connect with my dear friend. I was sweating by the end of dinner.
I could go on to talk about the lovely ice cream experience we had (after Ben fell off a wall and skinned his knee) but I'll just sum it up by saying it ended, rather quickly, with one hysterical little girl realizing she should've eaten her dinner and some pretty embarrassed patrons who may or may not have been flashed during a frenzied nursing session.
I'd love to say I easily managed to get everyone in the car with no further ado, and I almost did. Almost. I got the kids in and buckled and shut the doors (to minimize the sound of sobbing coming from inside) and turned to say an apologetic goodbye to my friends. Apparently my goodbye was a little too long because a lady in a silver car totally honked her horn at me! A really looooooooooong, obviously annoyed hooooooooonk. At ME! I had no idea what for. She rolled down her window and yelled at me something about wanting my spot and how rude I was being for taking so long. I couldn't believe it. I was so shocked at her rudeness. I almost cried.
So yes, sweet friends everywhere, I do get overwhelmed. I sweat and take deep breathes, I have to ask for help and take help when it's offered. It's a group effort, this parenting thing, otherwise I would drown.
I came home and gave my sticky, crying, dirty, bloody knee and runny nose children baths, got them swiftly into bed, read books, sang songs and prayed a very long prayer. After kissing their sweet smelling, still damp heads goodnight I turned off the light and felt the weight of being completely overwhelmed again, but this time with love. And that's why I will joyfully do all over again tomorrow.
Shae and I were talking it up, or trying to at least, and at one point she asked me, quite earnestly, "so, do you ever feel overwhelmed?" For a millisecond I was super stoked because I thought if she has to ask then I'm doing a great job of hiding my overwhelmedness. Go me!
Aaaaaaaand turn on the neon "Pride Cometh Before the Fall" sign above my head right about NOW.
The rest of the evening consisted of me trying to coax Addison to eat so she could have an ice cream afterward, taking (plastic) knives away from Ben, saving Troy's life due to a faulty highchair and his excellent leaping abilities (especially when my lap and/or food is inches away from him), taking a cup of water away because somebody thought it was a great place to stick random table condiments and dirty hands, cleaning up a spilled said water cup after a premature second chance was given, all the while trying desperately to connect with my dear friend. I was sweating by the end of dinner.
I could go on to talk about the lovely ice cream experience we had (after Ben fell off a wall and skinned his knee) but I'll just sum it up by saying it ended, rather quickly, with one hysterical little girl realizing she should've eaten her dinner and some pretty embarrassed patrons who may or may not have been flashed during a frenzied nursing session.
I'd love to say I easily managed to get everyone in the car with no further ado, and I almost did. Almost. I got the kids in and buckled and shut the doors (to minimize the sound of sobbing coming from inside) and turned to say an apologetic goodbye to my friends. Apparently my goodbye was a little too long because a lady in a silver car totally honked her horn at me! A really looooooooooong, obviously annoyed hooooooooonk. At ME! I had no idea what for. She rolled down her window and yelled at me something about wanting my spot and how rude I was being for taking so long. I couldn't believe it. I was so shocked at her rudeness. I almost cried.
So yes, sweet friends everywhere, I do get overwhelmed. I sweat and take deep breathes, I have to ask for help and take help when it's offered. It's a group effort, this parenting thing, otherwise I would drown.
I came home and gave my sticky, crying, dirty, bloody knee and runny nose children baths, got them swiftly into bed, read books, sang songs and prayed a very long prayer. After kissing their sweet smelling, still damp heads goodnight I turned off the light and felt the weight of being completely overwhelmed again, but this time with love. And that's why I will joyfully do all over again tomorrow.
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