We had a DAY! (Posted 2008)

I was in a HORRIBLE mood last night. I baby-sat the neighbor kids...they are good kids, but 5 kids tends to be a lot. Not to mention I did some running of both my kids and theirs...to school...from school...to play practice...to voice lessons...you get the idea. So, I was tired...and GRUMPY. Dave called and asked if I minded if he went out with work friends. My response? "No! Go! Why would we BOTH want to expose ourselves to this insanity? Run like the wind, my love". (Yes, that was ACTUALLY my response. He just said thanks and ended the call...quickly.) So anyway, I just wanted to go to bed. My kids, however, definitely did not. This was "one of those nights" where I tried everything...you know the nights...bribery, threats, punishments...I was on the verge of using guilt-by-crying when they finally relented and went to sleep. No joke, I actually yelled (which I really hardly ever do...truly) "I am GRUMPY...GRUMPY GRUMPY GRUMPY (maybe a foot stomp there?)...I am sorry, but I will make it up to you tomorrow. GO TO SLEEP...NOW!". After I had been up and down about 1,236 times the girls were settled in their rooms and the boy...next to me...rubbing my marble (see earlier posts).

At 2:30 am #3 cried. Woke #1. Dave is WORKING!?! at the kitchen table...insomnia, I guess. Didn't bother to even address him as I grabbed the cough syrup and headed up to drug the baby (who is actually 2 and got only the recommended dosage...no more even though it may have helped MY sleep). Before leaving the girls' room #1 asked me how I intended to make my miserable attitude up to them...I told her I hadn't thought about it yet and she accepted that and went back to sleep. Thank God! Back to bed I go...not to sleep but to consider what I can do that is wonderfully fun for my kiddos the next day. I finally drifted off with images of a hands-on museum or a trip to the Baltimore Aquarium...Yeah, my mood was that bad.

My little friends woke me at 5:55 am...not good. I am not a farmer for a REASON. I believe in sleeping until AFTER the sun gets up. Nevertheless, here we are awake before the sun is up...and I have not yet decided what I want to do with my blessings. My husband is still sleeping at 9:30 because he worked late into the night. So, now I am wondering what I can do with the little dears on my own...not much different from a weekday. The pressure. #1 asks me again what I have planned. I told her I honestly hadn't made up my mind. She responds that she would love to go to Borders and then Olive Garden for lunch. #2 JUMPS on that idea...YEAH, I think we have a plan.

I shower and get dressed...Loudly. Surprisingly (ok, not so surprising as I had the three kids and the dog in the bedroom with me), my beloved wakes up. I tell him of our plan and he quickly readies himself. Let me tell you right now that we are not a terribly restaurant-friendly family. Food hits the floor...children fuss...#2 only has one volume of speaking and let's just say it isn't a library voice. We haven't been out as a unit in a while...but we have our game faces on and we are off.

The drive...beautiful. Our chatterboxes joking with us in the van. Sun shining bright (32 degrees, though). It was bliss. (I think I heard birds singing).

We got to the Olive Garden which is RIGHT next Borders. Our plan was to hurry up and be the first ones in the restaurant, order everything (including the check)as soon as the waitress approaches and pray...a lot. Well, we arrived at the restaurant and it wasn't open yet...who knew that people don't want to eat Italian at 10:42 am? So we move from Plan A and onto Plan B...the bookstore. SHOCKINGLY the children choose their books in record time...It really was a record-setting event. We check-out...a bit stressful as #3 is trying to get out of the stroller (Dave lost a few ounces doing laps around the bookstore), #2 wants me to get out of line to check out the "ugliest stuffed animal that he ever wanted to buy" and #1 wants to READ her book IN line...to me.

Items purchased. Moving on to the restaurant.

I was a little apprehensive because it was now 11:23 and rapidly approaching peak lunch time. We head in. THERE IS A WAIT...Dave starts to sweat. I have a brainstorm and actually pull out the new books we just purchased. I plopped my starving hiney on the floor next to the stroller and read to #3 while #1 reads to Dave and #2. The kids are rally hungry...I knew we were going to a restaurant and I wanted them to actaully eat so we had LIGHT breakfasts. Then it happens. We see it...the beautiful red flashing announcing that our table for 5 is ready. We gather our things and our people and we are off.

**Still refusing to jinx myself with thoughts of success**

We sit and the waitress doesn't come...and doesn't come...I look at Dave who is rapidly coming to the end of #2's book and say "Lord, I pray this waitress doesn't take too long and ruin our meal..." The waitress AT THAT MOMENT walk up and asks us what we would like. My reply "I would like water with lemon, 3 chocolate milks, a water - no lemon - for him (Dave), an order of mac 'n' cheese for these two to share, chicken nugget meal for her (#1), soup, salad and breadsticks for my...minestrone soup and then whatever he wants (Pointing to who is looking a little shocked at my spiel). If you could bring the check with the meal that would be great. Thank you Stef." She smiled knowingly, took Dave's order and walked away. She brought our food with the check in about 10 minutes...a very peaceful 10 minutes. Twenty minutes later plates were clean, bill was paid and we were on our way home. It was at this point that I finally allowed myself a feeling of success. It was beautiful.

We ALL took 2 hour naps. We woke up. We walked our furry friend, Brutus. We had some dinner and played family board games. It was an amazing day. I don't think one person cried all day. Everyone was kind and loving to one another. The children were grateful...which is a miracle in itself. Now they are all watching a movie with Dave so I can have a few minutes to type this for all of you...or Kate...who may be the only person who reads this right now...LOVE YOU KATE!

Tomorrow morning is Sunday School and church which challenges us each week. But, you know, after today I think we will be just fine.