Here's a place where Sarah writes what's on her heart and mind for whomever will read it. Sometimes it's hilarious, sometimes it's little pieces of life that I'm grateful for. Enjoy!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Just Another Manic Monday
Yesterday was hectic. Here's what happened.
4 a.m. Paul wakes up hungry. I feed him and fall back asleep.
7:15 a.m. Adam's alarm goes off for the umpteenth time and I finally hear it. I jolted out of bed and ran to make coffee.
7:20 a.m. Check e-mail for just a minute.
7:21 a.m. Claire hollers and I hope she goes back to sleep for a few minutes.
7:22 a.m. Coupon cutting ensues.
7:23 a.m. Paul wakes back up and is hungry again. Adam fumbles through the kitchen, ironing his shirt.
7:30 a.m. Claire screams again. I sigh and go get her up.
7:45 a.m. Breakfast commences. En lieu of Bible study, I cut coupons.
8:20 a.m. Adam flies out of the house, late for work.
10:30 a.m. Kids and I are bathed, dressed, and fed. Ready to go shop.
10:45 a.m. We walk into Costco. Claire's bathroom trips = 1
11:15 a.m. We walk into Target. Claire's bathroom trips = 1
Noon We walk into Kroger. Claire's bathroom trips = 3, Spilled milk = 1, Leaking baby food jars = 1, Crying baby = 1, Fights between a toddler and a baby = 3 or 4, Elderly shoppers getting tripped up by a toddler = 3 or 4, Claire squats in the aisle, mimicking going potty = 10
2 p.m. We walk out of Kroger and apologize to Adam for the tardiness of his lunch.
2:10 p.m. Fly into the house, throw lunch together, serve it, throw the kids in the bed for a nap and start putting up groceries.
4 p.m. Get kids up to go to church for two meetings. Several snacks, potty trips, and changes of clothes later, we get in the car at 5:00.
5:02 p.m. Paul starts crying uncontrollably.
5:23 p.m. We pull into the church parking lot and realize we have lost a pacifier.
5:24 p.m. I hand off the kids and drive as fast as I can to Walgreen's.
5:35 p.m. Made it to the first meeting.
6:30 p.m. Nursery workers leave, telling me they weren't booked for the second meeting.
6:35 p.m. I take my kids to the meeting.
6:45 p.m. More nursery workers appear and I am relieved.
8:00 p.m. Dash home, feed Paul immediately, start dinner immediately, get Adam to bathe the kids.
9:10 p.m. Dinner on table.
10 p.m. Kids in bed. Cleanup commences.
11 p.m. Attempt to watch TV with Adam, but collapse within 30 seconds or so.
So tell me...When does the "stay-at-home" mom part start?
4 a.m. Paul wakes up hungry. I feed him and fall back asleep.
7:15 a.m. Adam's alarm goes off for the umpteenth time and I finally hear it. I jolted out of bed and ran to make coffee.
7:20 a.m. Check e-mail for just a minute.
7:21 a.m. Claire hollers and I hope she goes back to sleep for a few minutes.
7:22 a.m. Coupon cutting ensues.
7:23 a.m. Paul wakes back up and is hungry again. Adam fumbles through the kitchen, ironing his shirt.
7:30 a.m. Claire screams again. I sigh and go get her up.
7:45 a.m. Breakfast commences. En lieu of Bible study, I cut coupons.
8:20 a.m. Adam flies out of the house, late for work.
10:30 a.m. Kids and I are bathed, dressed, and fed. Ready to go shop.
10:45 a.m. We walk into Costco. Claire's bathroom trips = 1
11:15 a.m. We walk into Target. Claire's bathroom trips = 1
Noon We walk into Kroger. Claire's bathroom trips = 3, Spilled milk = 1, Leaking baby food jars = 1, Crying baby = 1, Fights between a toddler and a baby = 3 or 4, Elderly shoppers getting tripped up by a toddler = 3 or 4, Claire squats in the aisle, mimicking going potty = 10
2 p.m. We walk out of Kroger and apologize to Adam for the tardiness of his lunch.
2:10 p.m. Fly into the house, throw lunch together, serve it, throw the kids in the bed for a nap and start putting up groceries.
4 p.m. Get kids up to go to church for two meetings. Several snacks, potty trips, and changes of clothes later, we get in the car at 5:00.
5:02 p.m. Paul starts crying uncontrollably.
5:23 p.m. We pull into the church parking lot and realize we have lost a pacifier.
5:24 p.m. I hand off the kids and drive as fast as I can to Walgreen's.
5:35 p.m. Made it to the first meeting.
6:30 p.m. Nursery workers leave, telling me they weren't booked for the second meeting.
6:35 p.m. I take my kids to the meeting.
6:45 p.m. More nursery workers appear and I am relieved.
8:00 p.m. Dash home, feed Paul immediately, start dinner immediately, get Adam to bathe the kids.
9:10 p.m. Dinner on table.
10 p.m. Kids in bed. Cleanup commences.
11 p.m. Attempt to watch TV with Adam, but collapse within 30 seconds or so.
So tell me...When does the "stay-at-home" mom part start?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Skunks and curse words
I have finally almost successfully trained Claire to say the words "frog" and "bench." Just a short time ago she couldn't pronounce them and when she tried, they sounded like curse words. (I'll let you use your head to figure out which ones.)
Even at church, she was throwing those words around. "Let's go sit on the b...." "Look, there's a picture of a f... in the nursery!"
Anyway, she says those words right now, mostly. Today, though, I taught her about skunks. We were driving through Benbrook and smelled one. I told her about how they spray, stink, etc. She seemed to get the concept.
A couple of hours later, at lunch, she started shouting what sounded like the "c" word to Adam. Yes, the big one. She said it over, and over, and over. It took me several minutes to figure out she was trying to say "skunk."
So heed this warning. If you hear Claire shout the "c" word, you know there's a skunk nearby. And also know that I'm trying to teach her correctly. I will try to explain to people, "No, I don't curse in front of my children. No, she doesn't watch TV with curse words on it. She comes up with these words all on her own." It's the truth!
Even at church, she was throwing those words around. "Let's go sit on the b...." "Look, there's a picture of a f... in the nursery!"
Anyway, she says those words right now, mostly. Today, though, I taught her about skunks. We were driving through Benbrook and smelled one. I told her about how they spray, stink, etc. She seemed to get the concept.
A couple of hours later, at lunch, she started shouting what sounded like the "c" word to Adam. Yes, the big one. She said it over, and over, and over. It took me several minutes to figure out she was trying to say "skunk."
So heed this warning. If you hear Claire shout the "c" word, you know there's a skunk nearby. And also know that I'm trying to teach her correctly. I will try to explain to people, "No, I don't curse in front of my children. No, she doesn't watch TV with curse words on it. She comes up with these words all on her own." It's the truth!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Churchy-ness
I love our church...Love, love love it! When we walk in on Sunday morning, we are greeted with a hug by several sweet seniors at the door. We have a hard time making it anywhere in the building because we are stopped about every 15 seconds or so for a hug or a story. All my friends at church are authentic people...They know they are flawed and don't try to hide it. They, like everyone else in the world, are trying to be good people. I love that I can see someone at my church on Sunday and again on Friday outside of church and they are the same person. I love being Methodist.
I was raised Baptist. When friends from church came over, my parents made sure that all the liquor and beer was hidden in the garage. Nowadays, Adam and I don't hide the liquor and beer when church friends come over....We get it out and offer it to them!
Since I haven't attended a Baptist church regularly in almost 10 years, I forget the differences. I joined a mom's group at a Baptist church by our house so I could meet moms in the neighborhood. I have been consistently disappointed.
I attended a play group and introduced myself to everyone in the joint and had a hard time finding someone who was part of my organization. When I finally did, the conversation was over after the exchange of names. I was actively trying to engage people in conversation and make new friends and failed.
Last night I attended the monthly meeting and was horrified at several happenings.
1. When I asked about a lady that was absent, I was told that she wasn't coming back because she couldn't afford it. It's $40 a semester. I asked for her contact information and offered to pay for her myself....It wasn't given to me.
2. When sympathy was expressed for a lady who had been dealing with sick children, the woman next to me leaned over and whispered, "That's what happens when you don't breastfeed your kids."
3. A panel of husbands sat through a Q & A session. We submitted anonymous questions, some of which were censored. The ones that made it were cheesy...."What was your favorite Valentine?" "What's the best part of being a dad?" Blech.
One question was, "What do you really want from your wife?"
The answer: "Respect and recognition that I am the leader of the household. Respect for my decisions as leader, even if they are wrong."
I'm not lying. This guy sat in a room full of women, asserted his superiority and no one blinked! I couldn't believe it. I told Adam if he ever said that he would be in trouble. Adam replied, "I would never say that because it's not true. Does that guy think women are just chattel?"
It's hard for me to believe that these people are working for the same things I am. That they are trying to make the world a better place and spread as much love as they can. I'm trying hard to fight labels and judging, but when I see such a stark difference in my church and that one, I get upset. Maybe I'm naive. Maybe these people exist at my church too and I just don't know them. I don't know, but the more I go to this Baptist church, the more I love being Methodist.
I was raised Baptist. When friends from church came over, my parents made sure that all the liquor and beer was hidden in the garage. Nowadays, Adam and I don't hide the liquor and beer when church friends come over....We get it out and offer it to them!
Since I haven't attended a Baptist church regularly in almost 10 years, I forget the differences. I joined a mom's group at a Baptist church by our house so I could meet moms in the neighborhood. I have been consistently disappointed.
I attended a play group and introduced myself to everyone in the joint and had a hard time finding someone who was part of my organization. When I finally did, the conversation was over after the exchange of names. I was actively trying to engage people in conversation and make new friends and failed.
Last night I attended the monthly meeting and was horrified at several happenings.
1. When I asked about a lady that was absent, I was told that she wasn't coming back because she couldn't afford it. It's $40 a semester. I asked for her contact information and offered to pay for her myself....It wasn't given to me.
2. When sympathy was expressed for a lady who had been dealing with sick children, the woman next to me leaned over and whispered, "That's what happens when you don't breastfeed your kids."
3. A panel of husbands sat through a Q & A session. We submitted anonymous questions, some of which were censored. The ones that made it were cheesy...."What was your favorite Valentine?" "What's the best part of being a dad?" Blech.
One question was, "What do you really want from your wife?"
The answer: "Respect and recognition that I am the leader of the household. Respect for my decisions as leader, even if they are wrong."
I'm not lying. This guy sat in a room full of women, asserted his superiority and no one blinked! I couldn't believe it. I told Adam if he ever said that he would be in trouble. Adam replied, "I would never say that because it's not true. Does that guy think women are just chattel?"
It's hard for me to believe that these people are working for the same things I am. That they are trying to make the world a better place and spread as much love as they can. I'm trying hard to fight labels and judging, but when I see such a stark difference in my church and that one, I get upset. Maybe I'm naive. Maybe these people exist at my church too and I just don't know them. I don't know, but the more I go to this Baptist church, the more I love being Methodist.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
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