Hitting The Wall...

Ah… life…

Yesterday Grace and I headed out for Junior Festival, where she proceeded to participate in eight events (the ninth being composition, which she didn’t have to do anything specific for, last night) and I proceeded to fill the role of “Room Chairperson”.  I must have done alright, because no one told me I was the worst room chairperson in the history of Junior Festival or anything.  I actually kind of enjoyed it.  Grace, however, had some rough spots.

In a lot of ways, I think it was a good life lesson…  That lesson that everyone has to learn at some point that goes something like this:  “You can’t always be the best at everything you do”.  This lesson comes particularly hard to perfectionists.  I am one, I know.  Grace is one, she’s learning…

At any rate, there were some tears, and then Grace picked herself back up, finished the rest of her events, and went on.  Another good life lesson learned:  “You have to go on”.

 

I may have mentioned before… ahem… that this family took on far more than we really should have this spring.  About halfway through our drive home, last night, I sighed and said, “I am so tired”.  Grace looked over at me and said, “Mom, I think that’s the fifth time you’ve said that”.  And you know what?  I really, really didn’t know I’d been uttering those words for fifteen minutes.  We laughed and made a joke out of it, and every few minutes for the rest of the ride home I proceeded to say something like, “Hey Grace!  You know what?  I am so tired!”  Right before we turned into the driveway, Grace said, “Mom… (and I waited for it)…  I’m tired!”  And she is.  And I am.  And that’s just life right now…

We got inside, changed the sheets on Seth and Grace’s beds to prepare for company, welcomed our guests, talked for awhile, and then had quiz practice…  all before 11:15pm.  Then Grace crawled into Miah’s bed (Miah was sleeping in the toddler bed, but I hear she woke up in the middle of the night and snuggled down with Grace), and set her alarm for 4:00am in order to be up in time for the quiz today.

I woke briefly when they were leaving and then crawled back under the covers until 7:20 at which point the face of a mischievous little six year old… ahem…  Ian… was all up in my face, ready to take on the day.  And it’s a good thing, too, because not only did we need to get up and dressed for Upward basketball, we also had forgotten it was our day for snacks, so we had to make a Kroger run!

Apparently sensing my hurry, Miah dressed herself…  shirt inside out.. pants backwards!  She was so proud!  Caleb got himself ready, also.  Ian never senses my rush or listens to my words about how quickly we need to get ready.  The kid wakes us all up and then waits for someone to do everything for him!  So, as I was combing his hair while Caleb simultaneously put Ian’s shoes on him; I was nearing the end of my patience, already…  before 9:00 in the morning…  I draw the line at brushing his teeth!  We waited… and waited… and waited for him to emerge from the bathroom.  Then we finally piled into the Nazarene Limousine to make our snack run.

Miah...  all dressed, by herself...

I forgot to mention she is also wearing a pair of Grace's socks...

We decided they made good knee highs and left those on...

She looks ready to cheer, too, doesn't she?

I started to back out of the driveway and there was suddenly this crashing, banging sound.  Of course, I pulled forward again, quickly, saying (loudly), “What was that?”  Caleb, ever practical, actually bothered to look through the back window and informed me that it was just some bricks.  No way.  Just absolutely no way.  In 5 ½ years, friends… and family… and strangers have hit the wall, but I never… ever hit the wall… ever…  I got out of the van, and sure enough that’s exactly what I had done.  I can't believe I didn't get stuck.

Oh, the metaphorical reality…

Well, you can always count on my kids for comic relief.  When I got back into the van, Miah exclaimed, “Mommy!  That was fun!” and Caleb went on, unfazed, as if nothing had happened asking, “Mom, did you know you can think of the world sort of like a pizza?”  Really?  Does no one else realize I’ve hit the wall?  Wow…

The rest of our morning was rather uneventful… except for that moment when I seriously couldn’t stand it that Ian was falling down on the basketball court every three seconds, so I screamed at him to, “Get up and stay up!”  Yeah…  I totally became that awful sideline Mom today…

We decided to come home as opposed to heading out to see whatever was left of the quiz in “Quizapolis” as Miah calls it, and at present I am finishing up a delicious bowl of tomato soup and listening to the sound of, “Bolt,” playing in the living room.  It’s an excellent afternoon for a movie.

I really wish I could hibernate for a couple of weeks.  That is highly unlikely, but I think we’re all going to take Monday off… of everything…

Then we’re on to the final Upward game of the season, District Celebrate Life for talent, the Upward awards celebration, Miah’s 3^rd b-day, my last class for the year, and Easter weekend… after which point we will turn the calendar to April… oh, beautiful April… with nothing special on the schedule…

L.