Life is like a box of chocolates...

"...you'll never know what you're gonna get." 

Boy, was Forest Gumps' momma ever right!  I never really knew what that meant...I mean the box of chocolates part.  Why would anyone get a box of chocolates without knowing what's in it?  Maybe I'm just a chocolate snob, and I only like certain kinds.  You can fill up a whole box with Kit Kats, and color me happy!  But throw in any kind of chocolate with mints...yeah, that box will go right to Jared (it will be much to his delight!).

Anyway, I digress.  Chocolates is not what I want to write about.  But I do want to use it as an analogy for every day life as a mom.  Today is the fifth day that I've been home with sick kids.  While I love my home, I feel like the four walls are suddenly closing in.  The kids and I are antsy, irritable, and are finding easy ways to annoy each other.  But such is life in this season of hacking mucus, drippy noses, and sticky faces.

But really (and I'm stealing this line from the defunct Jon & Kate Plus 8) it's a crazy life, but it's our life.  And I wouldn't trade it for the world!  I wake up every morning, and the first thing I do is thank God for the blessing of a new day.  I don't know what the day will bring, but I know that the moment my feet touch the floor, I'm "on". 

Who needs adventure when you've got kids!  Cause every day is an adventure in itself.  You just have to mentally prepare yourself for anything and everything, think 5 steps ahead (lots of cause-and-effect strategic planning!), be flexible when the day (or kid!) throws you a curve ball, adapt, change, and know that at the end of the day if no one is bleeding, have a broken bone, or is need of going to the ER, then it's a good day!

Take Thursday for example, I woke up with great expectations.  Joshua's fever finally broke on Wednesday, so I felt it was okay to send him to school.  We've been stuck at home for the last few days, so I was antsy to get out and run much-needed errands.  He was whining in the morning that he had to go to school, and said that his leg was hurting.  And I'm thinking, "You're not getting out of this, buddy!".  I appeased him by writing a note to his teacher so that she'd be aware of his lethargy (since he had missed school because he was sick).  I told him that if, at any point, he felt like he had a hard time walking or was feeling sick again, that he needed to tell the teacher and the teacher would call me, and I'd come get him.  Okay, mission accomplished.  Josh went to school!

Then it was time to clean up after breakfast and get Jenna ready for preschool.  So far, my Type A schedule was going according to plan.  Before loading the girls up in the van, I went through the typical routine of making sure Jenna went to the bathroom first, and made her recite what she had to say if she had to go potty at school.  Then, shoes on, coats on, hats on, backpack on, baby strapped in, bags loaded, "to do" list ready, coffee in hand, and we're off.

As we drove to preschool, we drove by TJ Maxx which reminded me that I needed to get some new warm, cozy, house slippers (every time we run errands, I'd get everything else except for my house slippers).  Made it to preschool just in time - hug, hug, kiss, kiss, love yous, and off Jenna went into the building with her teacher.  Now if you're a mom with multiple kids, you know what I mean when I say it's such a luxury to run errands with just one kid in tow.  So, Becca and I headed to our first stop - Toys R Us.  Yeah, I would NEVER go into this store with the older kids, unless I had a death wish!  But with the little one in the stroller, I could handle it.  Everything went swiftly, and I was able to get what I needed, with ample time to spare.  Budget in tack, coupon in hand, I headed to the check-out line. 

Now this was when things started falling apart...I mean, the whole box of chocolates analogy came into play!

I was pushing a stroller with one hand, had a basket looped around that arm, and I was carrying something else with the other hand (we have 3 birthday parties this weekend, plus some Christmas gifts to purchase).  So, it was a juggling act of balance and poise at the same time.  As I headed to the check-out line, another mom approached it at the same time.  You know how that happens in a parking lot, when 2 cars want the same spot?  Yeah, kind of like that.  Thinking she would be gracious enough to let me go first, after all, I had my hands full and am pushing a stroller.  But what did she do?  She glared at me, as if I've intruded in her personal space or something.  She barged her way in front of me with her shopping cart, while keeping her glare on me.  Wow!  Someone woke up on the wrong side of bed!  I guess some people just aren't very thoughtful.  I mean, if I saw a mom with a young child and an armful of toys, I would offer to let her go first.  But this lady had a CARTFUL of toys!  So, I tried to do the math in my head to figure out how long this was going to take.  And it took a VERY LONG time (there were other people in front of us too)!  At this point, Becca was having a meltdown.  She had taken both socks and shoes off and decided to fling it in 4 different directions!  Goldfish crackers were every where, and her water bottle leaked profusely after being thrown a million times, causing a small puddle by us.  When it was our turn, I looked at my watch and realized that I only had time to run 1 more errand, instead of 3 that I had planned.  Ok, deep breaths, no worries...

Jumped in the van and headed to the next store to buy tights for Jenna.  No time to get the stroller out, so I had to carry Becca into the store.  Hoping for a quick run in and out.  Haha, you laugh!  Or course I couldn't find where the tights were.  I saw some patterned tights here and some colorful tights there, but I just want plain, old, solid-colored tights!  I don't typically shop at Buy Buy Baby for clothes, but because I have a coupon, that's the only reason I was getting it there.  And huge mistake..I asked a young male sales associate where the tights were.  I kid you not, he looked at me and asked quizzically, "Tights?"  Like I was speaking a foreign language.  Yeah, tights - they're like footed leggings?  Or socks that go way up to the tummy?   He had to call another sales associate on his walkie.  Trying not to seem rude or impatient, I held my breath and tried not to roll my eyes.  At this point, I had 1 minute left before I had to get in the car and go pick up Jenna.  Finally, a middle-aged lady came to my rescue, and walked me to the rounder where all the tights were by the baby equipment (which I don't get why tights would be in that area in the first place?).  I grabbed what I needed and headed to the empty check out line...phew!  Fished for my coupon and made my purchase.

Back in the van, and tried not to get a ticket as I sped to pick up Jenna and her friend, Aaron.  I was there just in time as the kids walked out of the building.  I picked both of them up, and after I strapped them both in, Jenna said "I have to go potty."  Really?  Now?  I asked her if she went potty at school, and she said no.  Well, I had a choice...I could take her into the high school building, but that would require me finding a parking spot, bring all 3 kids with me, go through a security check, and go to the preschool room where they have the preschool bathroom.  Or, I could just quickly drive home which was only 5 minutes away.  I picked the latter because I figured the whole process of going into the high school building was going to take longer.  So, I implored her to please try to hold while I drove us home.

And hold, she did not.

The next hour was a blur because I had to run a bath for Jenna, feed the kids lunch, make sure our little friend, Aaron, was okay.  When Becca went down for her nap, and I had Jenna cleaned, fed, and occupied with a Veggie Tales movie, I embarked on cleaning out the car seat as well as the van seat, and doing laundry caused by this unfortunate event.  It was almost 3pm when I was able to sit down and have some lunch.  Joshua came home around 3:15, and he was miserable, and complained that his leg was hurting.  I felt awful for sending him to school.  He was in enough pain that I called the pediatrician - he couldn't even walk right.  The earliest appointment was at 6:45pm. 

Knowing that Jared was not going to be home, this long day was going to get even longer.  I texted my friend, Leslie, and hoped that she would be home that evening so that I could at least drop the girls off while I took Joshua to the doctor's appointment.  Leslie was kind and gracious enough to let me do just that, at such short notice too!  (we all need go-to friends like that!  Thanks, Les!) 

To cut an already long story short, I didn't get to "rest" till about 9:30pm - after the doctor's appointment, putting 3 kids to bed, and cleaning up after dinner.  When I walked into my bedroom, my bed had never seemed more inviting!  I literally collapsed on it in sheer exhaustion, and I remember thinking...oh yay, I may have to do this all over again tomorrow...yippee...(I hope you realize this was meant to be sarcastic!).

But really, even though the day seemed somewhat chaotic, there was a tender moment which I will cherish.  While waiting for the pediatrician in the doctor's office, my 6-year-old Joshua said, "Mommy, can I sit on your lap?".  Those words just erased all the craziness of the day, and in that one moment, the day was redeemed.  As Joshua climbed onto my lap, and he put his head on my shoulder, I thanked God for the gift of this moment, for the gift of Joshua, and for the gift of being his mom.  I've missed holding Joshua's hand as we walked to school.  I've missed him wanting his mommy.  He's slowly growing up and is starting to realize it's not cool to hold your mom's hand anymore, or give her kisses in front of your friends.  So, when he wanted to sit on my lap, I welcomed it with open arms, and I will relish these few days while he's home sick, to take care of him, and love on him, and be needed by him.  It reminded me of the children's book, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch:

"I'll love you forever
I'll like you for always
As long as I'm living
My baby you'll be."

So even though I don't know what each day will hold, what adventures I will encounter, there will always be holy moments to behold, and memories to make.  And at the end of the day, I can slumber into bed with a hot cup of tea, knowing that I lived the day well...and it doesn't hurt to have a box of chocolates in bed as well!  (and, hopefully soon, some cozy house slippers!)

Drinking buddies...keeping hydrated!

Thought this was a cute pic...the ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah...