"Because God is in the days that go as planned. And God is in the days that don’t." Katie Davis
Today did not go as planned.
I barked at our kids this morning. I had spent the previous two days increasingly irritated at normal child behavior. Clothing not picked up, recycle art experiment left strewn across the playroom, homework left at school, not helping to set the table, showers taking too long, dried play-doh left on the windowsill. Pick, pick, pick.
Normal. Child. Behavior. Needs correction, but normal.
I dropped off kids at school and Kindergarten and headed to a meeting at church. I felt encouraged at seeing some friends and was sure to leave with a lightened heart.
Did I mention the day didn't go as planned?
I completely fell apart at this meeting. Lost it. I was supposed to be talking about dates for an upcoming event and all I could do was clutch the tissue that a friend so graciously passed my way.
I cried the entire way home, knowing that God was in the car with me, but I couldn't hear Him.
I pick up the youngest. She gets tomatoes and a hard boiled egg for lunch. I lie down with her until she falls asleep. Fortunately, this takes approximately 4 minutes. Kindergarten is tiring.
I make hummus for the middle school years dance at the kids' school. I wonder why on earth I was such a wreck at the meeting this morning. I'm embarrassed and confused.
We're back at school to pick up the older two. I find the coordinator for the dance. She looks exhausted and I offer a hug. She is grateful. I feel helpful.
Fridays the kids can come home and just play after school. It was a blissful 50 degrees and sunny, so after taking care of the dog and their backpacks, I wrap watches on their wrists, give direction, and tell them to be home at 6:00pm for dinner. They have not yet made it home on time with their newfound freedom and new friends.
Drew calls and is not feeling well. This is HIGHLY unusual for him, and he is headed home after stopping to pick up ibuprofen.
(What American mother runs out of ibuprofen?)
He doesn't feel like eating, so he'll probably just head straight to bed.
(Ooops. I knew I forgot the bedding that was in the washer this morning. It really would be a good idea to get a second set of sheets.)
Oh yes, and Ada's bed is bare, too. At least I have extra bedding for the potty training toddler.
One bed made and a table set.
I check my watch. It's 5:57pm.
The doorbell rings.
Three children stand at the door. They are even wearing their fleeces.
I open the door to Ren panting.
"We didn't want to be late. We didn't want you to worry."
I bury my face in my hands and start to cry. I give them all a hug.
(Yes, you may watch Fireman Sam on Netflix because your littlest sister loves it.)
Drew comes home. Not pretty. He falls asleep on the sofa within minutes of arrival. Temperature 102. We might need to rethink date night tomorrow.
Leftovers ready. 3 kids and 1 mom. The girls complain of stomach aches. One lies on the sofa, the other on the dog bed. Ren powers through and would like to finish his sisters' plates.
The doorbell rings. Coworker of Drew's is here to pick up a gas grill. No problem. At least I can find the garage door opener easily.
Grill loaded. Back to dinner. Kate crying and Ada starts to fall apart. I decide to take Ada to bed, but I need to stop and get the sheets back on her bed. She's tired enough that I skip pages in her bedtime story and she doesn't even notice.
Kate's still crying. She is the child with the most unpredictable stomach, so I'm concerned enough that I pick up an empty waste basket and carry it to her as she hurls up the hummus she had for a snack.
(Only spilled a little. I'm so proud.)
With Ren's help, I get the carpet cleaned, waste basket cleaned, retainers cranked, and chapter read. Kate feels much better, but we keep provisions nearby.
3 kids in bed. One sick husband asleep.
All I want to do is sit on the sofa and watch a movie. The day did not go as planned. I was tired. I still have so many questions and am feeling quite uncertain about how much of my time to give where..home, school, church, neighbors... I'm a wife, a mom, a friend, a daughter, a child of God...
We all have the same number of hours in a day, but I can get bogged down in choosing how to spend those hours. I am fortunate to have so many choices. I must work to remember that saying yes to one thing means saying no to something else.
Tonight, I chose to read a little of Katie Davis' blog. She's the young woman who served for a year in Uganda teaching children and ended up living there. She wrote a book that became a bestseller.
http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.de/
What I needed to read about most tonight was her amazing faith.
She wrote, "Because God is in the days that go as planned. And God is in the days that don’t."
Oh, the beauty of the day that does not go as planned.
