Ever hear the phrase "pack mentality?" Well after this past weekend I think my children have certainly coined that phrase. In our household Sunday's are somewhat of a blurr. They begin with the hubby sneaking out at 5 am to get to church early to prepare for service, then the kiddlings waking up one by one from 7:oo am on .... then the usual routine follows..... breakfast, get them all dressed, brush teeth, wash face and hands, look presentable, change a diaper on the way out the door, gather up the bibles and diaper bag while waiting for grandma to pick up one lucky child .... (who will it be? Let's see, who gave me the least amount of grief this morning..... you - yup you, grab your bible and go with grandma..... see you at church baby, be good!) and hopefully get to church on time - well at least before worship starts. Once service is done we round up all the kids and head out again..... girls in one vehicle and boys in another..... "no you cannot sit in the front seat again, it's your brother's turn." By the time we get home the dogs need out, the baby is cranky and sleepy and the other kiddlings are hungry. We often have people over for lunch on Sunday.... and this week was no exception. We were blessed with a full house.... 31 people in all. 12 adults, 4 teenagers, and 15 children..... ya, really. It was during this meal that I began to understand the meaning of "pack mentality." All 15 kiddos were eating their meal outdoors....let's face it, there's just not enough room to feed everyone around the table..... 15 bright little individuals with promising futures finishing their meals in the backyard ..... then it starts to rain ... ALOT. Do they come indoors to stay dry? NOoooo, they stay outside, abandon their plates and slide across the muddied grass on their shoes. It's a new sport..... for kids only ..... mud sliding. And they're pretty darn good at it. Every patch of green grass that WAS in the back yard has now been transformed into an unrecognizable mud slick just begging to be slid across. And then it happens.... a group of people (children in this instance) doing something similar together, when all of a sudden someone gets a bright idea...... and they all begin to move as one .... to act it out.....THAT`S "pack mentality." Mothers; to answer the age old question "If your friends all jumped off the bridge would you jump too?" The answer is "YES." A "pack of children" is much like a pack of wild dogs. They move as one. When one of them gets a bright idea, they all move together to carry it out. Hence the destroyed wagon and other riding toys in the backyard. Once the rain stopped the precious kiddlings began finding their way indoors.... all mud covered and soggy. They left their mark everywhere they went. Mud streaks on walls, across light switches and on every doorknob within reach. "Dear Lord Daniel, what happened to your pants?" I asked incredulously. "I fell down" he replied...... "Over and over again?" I ask.
After the "umpteenth" load of dishes is done I realize our lives are much too busy and are in great need of change.... (Thank you ladies for helping tidy up and get the dishes under control - I appreciate you more than you know. Thanks Daddyo for bringing the steam cleaner over... my carpets thank you :)) There is a whir of activity going through my mind at any given moment.... sometimes I can't sleep because the humm of brain energy is so loud..... it really does keep me awake at night..... thanks God for melatonin or I'd never fall asleep. It's one thing to be busy entertaining and visiting with friends but it's quite another to "let it slip your mind" that it's your little one's 4th birthday....
I woke up on Monday morning, quite spent from the previous day, and thought..... "I am missing something here"..... then I overheard the oldest boy say "Hey Susan, it's your birthday today, Happy Birthday!" My heart sank. Before I went to bed lastnight I thought about putting her presents out so she would wake up to a big surprise... but I was so drained .... I just fell into bed. And now I was wishing I had taken a few more minutes to get prepared..... I hadn't exactly "forgotten" her birthday, I just had so much going on in my head that it wasn't as much a priority as it should have been. I quickly pulled out her gifts and asked the hubby to grab his guitar so we could sing our traditional "Happy Birthday" song. Thank God she asked for "hotdogs" for her special birthday dinner - that's somethng I can handle right now :) Cheap and quick.
Little Susan was so excited that it was her birthday .... When I told her that my friends on Facebook were saying Happy Birthday to her, she said "Where? I can't see them? I want them to sing a song to me."
When Daddy came home from work the kids all ran to the door to greet him. "Daddy! Daddy! He's home!" Running, leaping, clapping, oh the excitement. I often wondered why He gets the "heros welcome" when he comes home and I don't get so much as a glance after putting up with all their drama for the day? When Daddy walks in the door you know it .... me on the other hand.... I feel like they could take me or leave me, depending on the day of course. (Unless I am bringing home groceries... then they circle like vultures - no one offers to help carry them in, they just watch and wait to see "what I got for them") I have chosen to be a stay at home mom instead of joining the work force outside of my 4 walls .... with the exception of my
AVON business of course, but somedays I wonder what it would be like to come home to a cheering crowd of smiling faces all chanting my name?????? Oh well, one can always dream. With Mother's Day fast approaching I will hopefully have my five minutes of fame in the eyes of my offspring, and maybe even a lunch that I don't have to prepare, cook and clean up after???? (HINT,HINT)
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In honour of Little Susan's 4th Birthday this week, Here are a few funnies relating to her, from our house to yours....
*We just came in from a long van ride when out of the corner of my eye I caught Little Susan quickly stuffing something into her pocket. "Susan, what do you have in there?" I asked. "Nothing" she replied. "Nothing huh? Let's see it" I said, as she reluctantly removed her hand from her pocket and deposited a squirming little pill bug into my hand. Sheesh, I shouldn't have asked.
*Little Susan smacked a fly on the window and said "Look Mom, I died him wit my han'"
*Getting ready for a car ride one day, Little Susan puts on her shoes and notices that "Roo" our black & tan coonhound has come to stand next to her so she shouts at the dog... "NOT YOU - You no go for a ride - you don't know how to drive! After when you can talk you can drive!"
*Little Susan to Daddy: "Daddy I wanna go at movie Peter - flease. Flease Daddy, I wanna go at movie Peter. (Translation = movie theatre)
*The teenager, at the dinner table asks, "Does anyone want to have my ham?" All the boys scream in unison "Me, me, me!" Little Susan pipes up and says, "I'l hold your Hand."
*Getting into the van in a rush (once again) I told Latoya to hurry. She was upset with me for something and decided to push my buttons by moving into her "slow motion" act. I was so frustrated I lost it and said "Just get into the van and don't you pull this crap!" (I know, I know - send the unsigned letters to my husband) Little Susan, with her innocent but self righteous attitude says, "I not pull dat crap, Mommy." (Lord, teach me to change my attitude and shut my mouth.....)
*Right this moment as I am typing this blog, little Susan came up to me singing and hugged my arm...... then she wrapped her hands around my upper arm and squeezed in rythm to her song and sang... "squish, squishy, squish squish, squish, squishy, squish squish." Thanks little one, just what I needed to hear....
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Just wanted to let you know that I have a new
AVON Website feel free to stop by and browse through a brochure. We are currently in Campaign 13 and the order will be placed on Tuesday May 11th.
Have an incredibly blessed day!
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