I decided on minimal cleaning; to instead paint all week amidst partying children, but on Monday, I stupidly gouged my hand while gardening/weeding with a broken ruler. Yes, a broken and jagged wooden ruler. Sometimes my stupidity amazes even me. It's hard to paint walls without a painting hand.
Of course, I also didn't check my calendar closely enough at the beginning of the week. Piano recitals are today for the younger children. We had to squeeze some extra practicing in. I'm not sure that that was well-accomplished. I guess I'll find out during today's performances... eeeek.
The coup de grâce for the week was my 4 yo's energy requirements. Partying with friends, kite day, and the suddenly cooler temperatures have zapped him. He's puffy and bouncing his blood sugars and having trouble keeping his emotions- shall we say, "on an even keel". He's most assuredly not going to the recital.
Balance, that's what I lost this week. I didn't used to need to practice as much balance in my mothering. My older 5 children are more like polyester, like wash and wear. They are as portable as wheeled luggage. I could zoom and rush and then we could all crash together with a few mere fall-aparts, no harm done.
My pediatrician says that treating children like my 4 yo require the art of medicine, not the science. I think that's true for mothering him too. Raising him also reminds me of the scene in Parenthood. The roller coaster scene. It's all good, until it's not.
A couple of days ago my 4 yo came outside sad. Sad that he couldn't do something that everyone else was enjoying. He said matter-of-factly, "Someday, God will make my body right." It ripped my heart out because it revealed his simple faith and acceptance and hope.
It also ripped my heart out because it reminded me of what my mother used to say in her last year of life when she was fighting PPH, "Be careful when you pray for total healing; sometimes death is the only way to accomplish that."
On the up-side.
- We've not been to the E.R. in almost a year. We were told to expect 3 to 4 hospitalizations a year; Wahoo, art can triumph!
- My 18 yo took most of his siblings to see How To Train Your Dragon, and they all enjoyed themselves. My 10 yo gave it high praise indeed, "Mom, it was sooo good I thought it was a Pixar movie."
- I got my front flower beds cleaned out
- My darling husband brought me chocolate last night. There is no praise high enough for a man bearing chocolate.
- My older children had a fun break from school.
- I re-read a couple of fluff novels.
- Kite day really was unbelievably fun.
I love up-sides, and there always seems to be one. Is that the art of geometry?
Posts
10 comments:
Aren't kids so accepting? They seem to understand things and to accept situations better than adults. I think that as long as they can be a kid and allowed to do kid things, that's all they really want.
That was nice of your son to take all his sibs to the movies. Hope the recitals went well!
Sorry to hear about your difficult week. You are so positive, it's a pleasure to read your blog. Keep on keeping on!
this is such a wonderful post. I've been thinking about the upside verses the downside. Perspective is so important, because like you said, there's always both. I really enjoy your writing. You have a talent.
I also have trouble finding the right tool for the job. I bent a fork and broke a light switch clover while trying to use said fork to remove the stuck cover. I hope you're back in painting shape soon and your bright side is pretty bright! Hope you have a better time this week!
The recital went well- the kids were calm, collected (at least in appearance) and they all played well:)
I appreciate the encouraging words from all of you. Sometimes the best thing about a week is that it's gone...
Joey- I'm just glad you weren't prying the fork around an outlet!
it sounds like you still had a good week, despite the hardships and difficulty in balancing.
I am always tempted to clean and organize during breaks, too..only because everything is such a mess! I tried hard to make spring break fun this time, though it was rainy so that kind of fell apart.
I think hurting your hand was a good thing maybe? So you could rest and enjoy the week?
Give your son a hug from me - he is one sweet little boy.
Are you referring to the scene from Gil's perspective at the play or Grandma's soliloquy? I just adore the dialogue there. What a splendid film! I am not a parent (yet), but I imagine it will have an even greater tug on my heartstrings one day when I am.
Grandma: You know, when I was nineteen, Grandpa took me on a roller coaster.
Gil (Patronizing): Oh?
Grandma: Up, down, up, down. Oh, what a ride!
Gil (Sarcastic): What a great story.
Grandma: I always wanted to go again. You know, it was just so interesting to me that a ride could make me so frightened, so scared, so sick, so excited, and so thrilled all together! Some didn't like it. They went on the merry-go-round. That just goes around. Nothing. I like the roller coaster. You get more out of it.
Ah life...
Katia, I want to be refering to Grandma and not Gil. I guess God is giving me the opportunity to practice.
Hi Susan, I lost balance this week & thank u for your words of encouragement & grace. I love the kite day photos, I still find it so hard to bring "normal" joy back into my family & u have encouraged me so much, thank u,
hugs
Carolyn
Post a Comment