Two posts in one day? Yup. And there's a good reason. I'll get to the reason in a minute. First this:
So, after the breakfast/trying to write my original blog post, this is what happened. The school age kiddos are going to VBS all this week at 9:30 am, so they are getting ready. Because of all the blog posting and breakfast issues, I still need to take a shower. Like really, very much NEED.
I have started washing my hair with baking soda, and using an apple cider vinegar rinse. Well, if you do this, don't get it in your eyes, because it HURTS!!!!. It hurts 10 thousand times more than shampoo. I know. So, after I throw a tantrum about getting apple cider vinegar in my own eyes, I rush out of the bathroom, urge the big kids to help the little kids get ready to go so we will be on time.
Victory, it seems, is ours! Kids are all outside strapped into the van, I slip on my flip flops and grab the purse, complete with the printer ink I need to return, and I even have the information I need to get the correct ink cartridge. Hooray!
Kids are dropped off at VBS, I get to Staples with the two littles and I find that the littlest little is dirty. The big kids let her play in the dust before we left. And she is wearing a diaper with a pink t-shirt that has mysterious orange stains on it. They truly are mysterious as we didn't have cheetos, orange juice, or orange anything in the house. Her hair is matted up in back, and there are dirt streaks from her forehead down to her filthy little toes. *sigh*
I give her a 'mommy spit' bath, and thank goodness there are cute little silver mary janes in the van. I'm hoping they will distract anyone from the lack of pants.
I exchanged the ink, and on my way out of the store, I dropped it. Didn't know it, and got the two littlest littles buckeled up into the van. Then I began searching for the ink that was no longer in my purse. A kind woman asked if I was looking for an ink cartridge and told me that she found it and returned it to customer service. So...I unbuckled the kids - because it's illegal here to leave them in the vehicle unattended, (stupid laws) and ran back in for the ink. Got it, ran back out, and buckled the kiddos in again (stupid safety seats).
On our way from Staples to the grocery store, we came upon a vehicle collision scene. There are four police vehicles, two fire trucks, and ambulance, and two tow trucks. This is a one way only, no place to turn roadway. So I do the only thing I can, and begin to illegally back the giant blue van back toward the driveway we came out of. Two men in trucks stop for me, give me that "stupid woman" glare, and I shout out the window that the road is blocked, they cannot go that way. They both motion me out of the way and continue on. As I am backed up and getting ready to go the other direction, one of the men (bless his heart) stopped to apologize to me "well, I guess it was just like a man to ignore a woman's advice. And I even know better!" Ah, that gave me cause to smile. A really, really big smile! Men? Are there any men reading this?!?!? See? Our point was made!
I finally made it to the grocery, got everything I needed, and passed up a mom shopping with three little ones. She noted that I was making much better progress than she was. I told her that I usually do this with seven kiddos. Her face paled and she hurried away. I wonder why?
Then I got home, started carting groceries in the house, and guess what? You know that trick we all do where we gather as many of the groceries as we can at once out of the back of the vehicle so we don't have to make as many trips? Well, that failed me today. Two gallons of milk in one hand while fumbling with keys makes for a very milky front porch. So now I have to clean the porch, under the porch, my legs and feet and still get the groceries into the house.
Sounds like a pretty rotten, rough day, huh? But only, here in the USA, could that be considered so awful. I have a vehicle that runs and a license to drive it. I have safety seats for my children. I have clothes for them to wear (even if they don't get worn). I live in a place that values safety for it's citizens and pays people to close up a street and clean up after a collision. I was able to buy ink for a printer. I did not have to cry over the $2.50 I lost all over the porch, because it won't bankrupt me to buy another gallon of milk.
I can grouse about what a challenging day I've had. Or. I can be happy that I woke up to do this day at all. I choose joy.
And now that it's time to go get the big kids from VBS, and I have spent all of my time cleaning up and typing this blog post, my littlest little is still in her filthy t-shirt, and still pretty much streaked with dirt. I guess the other churchies can judge me on that, along with the apple cider vinegar perfume that I'm sporting today.
Joy, y'all! Count it ALL joy!
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