John was out of town on business and it was a long, dark week taking care of business back here on the Homefront.
Literally long and dark.
For some reason, the daylight savings time change has been really really dark this year...like "oh my goodness, is it midnight!? at 4:00pm."
So it was one of those afternoons, the kids came home, tired, cranky, hungry.....I knew we had Awanas club that night at 6:15, so I reasoned that we had a good hour to kill before I would strategically take them out to Burgerville for dinner at 5:00.
We'd have a leisurely dinner out before I would drop them at Awanas promptly at 6:15, and then race out to meet some girlfriends for dinner and drinks before picking them up again at 8:15.
Two blessed hours of adulting.
I was motivated. I had this plan dialed in.
Being a dark, cold, rainy afternoon, I decided that watching the Christmas classic "Ruldolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" would be a great activity before heading out to Burgerville. So, we sat, nestled on the couch, the kids really happy (until the Ice Monster scene when Caleb hid behind pillows.)
Anyhow, after the show, at exactly 5:00, I loaded up my children and we headed out to Burgerville.
We arrived, the kids knew what they wanted, and we didn't have to wait that long before four brownbag kids meals showed up on the table. The kids began to happily eat their burgers. All was going according to plan.
Then Levi had to use the bathroom.
Evie volunteered the take him, which I was grateful for since all our burgers and food were completely and comfortably sprawled over the table.
However, in a few moments she comes running back and says that the bathroom is locked and needs a numeral code. We ask the teenage boy working behind the counter and Evie runs back to let Levi in. I go back to the table when all of a sudden I see Evie sprinting in a panic back towards the table, screaming, "MOM!!! LEVI!!!!" In the background I can hear Levi from the area of the bathroom crying and screaming as well. Everyone else dining in the restaurant notices our panic and begins to wonder what is going on.
"LEVI PEED ALL OVER!!"
I get up and power walk over to the still locked bathroom door and nearly slip on a huge puddle of urine, Levi still standing frozen over it; his pants, shoes, socks and even shirt completely soaked through.
He's screaming.
Evie's screaming.
James and Caleb who I abruptly left at the table in the dining area are screaming, and I just pause, take a deep breath and say, "Well, looks like we need to head home. Everyone pack up your dinner!"
Part of me did entertain the thought of just forgetting Awanas. We were practically there; and now at 6:00, heading back home, in rush hour traffic to change only to then come right back this direction just seemed exhausting.
But, atlas, those two hours of promised adult conversation was enough to motivate me to march my kids back in the van and do the deed.
When we arrived home, I instructed the kids to stay put while I took Levi in the house for a quick sponge bath and clothing change.
We loaded back into the car and head back the way we came to Awanas, albeit a little late. After depositing them in their classrooms, I head back the way I came to meet some friends for dinner.
I was able to finally relax and order some food when I randomly check my phone and realize I missed TWO calls from Awanas.
In all the years we've done Awanas I've never once been called. I call back the teacher and apparently James is having stomach issues and they need me to come back to Awanas. So, I bid farewell to my friends, Get back in my mini van, zip across town.
When I entered the building, a concerned teacher leads me back to the kids' bathroom, and there on a small little potty is a sad James, sitting hunched over on the toilet. He looks at me, crying. I try to comfort him as I gather all my other healthy kids from their classrooms early, them crying and moaning in protest of their early departure.
I think "So much for my well thought out plan!" The jokes on me tonight.
This is a Mom's Life, truly. What I learned again that night is 'pride comes before the fall'; despite my confidence that I was going to "rock the night solo parenting", masterfully transiting and transporting children, I had to accept that sometimes, life doesn't cooperate.
But sometimes it does, and it's just grand. Like agreeing on and finding the perfect Christmas tree so quickly.
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| Yep, this is the one |
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| And managing to get the star on top of the tree, straight |
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| And decorating the tree without breaking any ornaments ! |
