Man, oh, man. Today has been a doozy.
Last December (at least in my memory) was so great. I did almost all of my shopping online and I don't really remember going to the store much at all.
However, this year, the past two weeks have been filled with running around, I think, every day. Store to store. Doctor appointments. Pick up and drop off from school or work. Browsing gifts. Re-browsing gifts. And whatever else. Everyday it's seemed like I plan to clean the house (or at least the kitchen and living room! i could live with just those two!), but something comes up and suddenly dinnertime is here. The house is a bigger mess than it was before. The kids are fighting. If Nels isn't working late, he does a quick load of dishes for me - yet the sink is still overflowing, because one load of dishes every other day just ain't gonna cut it. I unsuccessfully search the house for clean pajamas or "run to the store to get something really quick". The kids are in bed. Violet or Elsie isn't feeling well. Somebody has to use the bathroom thirteen times. There are still pajamas or dragons to sew. Teepees to be made. Presents to be wrapped --- if only I could open my bedroom door and/or find a place amid all the bags and clothes to do it! 2:30 in the morning already?? And then it starts over.
Ugg.
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we'll be leaving a day earlier than we'd been planning to leave. One less day to do laundry, clean, and sew.
Last night I was up until 2:00 sewing Toothless's head and part of his body.
It was my week to teach in Relief Society. I didn't even look at the lesson until 6:30 this morning, right after I'd prayed to ask the Lord if it would be okay if just this ONE Sunday I used it to find my kitchen and living room -- maybe even the laundry room floor. (Because, you know, nobody has any clean panties to wear.)
I cracked open my lesson manual. Lesson title: "The Sabbath Day"
Am I faithless if I sweep my kitchen floor, do the dishes, mop, vacuum, and do two loads of laundry on the Sabbath? Don't get me wrong. I know that at times the ox is in the mire, but . . . what if YOU drove the ox into the mire, thinking that you'd have time to deal with it later if you got stuck - plus, even though you've gotten stuck there before, HEY! it's a shortcut . . .
Violet has CROUP. Nels was up repeatedly taking care of her. This morning her breathing was terrible, but Nels had to teach as well. Who was going to stay home with her? We'd just go and not let her get close to anyone.
I needed to be at the church at 8:15 to practice the song the choir is singing in Sacrament Meeting. Fifteen minutes late because I needed to do 4 heads of hair. For kids who'd been crying since they opened their eyes this morning. Got there right as they were finishing the practice.
Lilie won't stop mauling Violet. Violet is squirming everywhere, but I can't let her down. What if she coughs on someone else? Hazel and Lilie switch seats. Hazel is wiping her nose and her hair-do all over my arm.
All during Sacrament Meeting, I was on the verge of tears. Feeling completely overwhelmed and I wasn't even sure why. Am I smearing mascara all over, wiping my eyes??
Getting irritated with Hazel and Lilie fighting.
Nels leans over and mouths, "Relax." (I'm sorry Nels, for the severe stink-eye you got right before I walked up to sing about the Savior's birth.)
As the Meeting ends, Beverly Reed (one of the sisters I Visit Teach) comes up to ask if I'd woke Violet up from her nap, because she sounded tired.
"Um . . . no. She's got croup . . . " At that point my voice breaks, my face scrunches up, and I just start sobbing. Complete with snorting "hup-hups" and all.
Good grief.
And you know what that sweet sister does? She tells me to take my baby home, take a nap, and she's going to teach my lesson. And all the while, she somehow manages to make me feel like I'm the one doing her the favor for letting her serve me . . .
Oh Lord. Please bless all those sweet angels in my life.
11 comments:
rachel i just love you so!
i've had a similar 24 hours myself...and when i'm on the other side of it will write about it.
you are amazing, you do so much. and it looks like you did get an answer to your prayer, in the form of an amazing sister in the ward.
but i know how you have been that answer to so many others, so isn't it fair that someone else takes a turn? :)
love you!
I just got teary reading this. Sometimes I get totally overwhelmed with my life and I only have one little one to deal with and family around to help. You are doing an amazing job! And I am grateful for people like this woman who see someone who needs a break and offers to help. :) I hope that things get a little less overwhelming for you.
Croup is the worst... so sorry that everything seems to happen in one bad sweep!
Good luck with everything! You're truly amazing and I know that you will pull all together in the end!
Oh, Rachel. THat's Fabulous that Nels has a job interview!!! i'm so excited for you!
Big hugs to the lady who is overwhelmed and so wonderful she sobs...because we all have those days....I'm just sorry your's happened in the middle of church. :)
I hope you got my purse done....KIDDING!!!! I am so sorry, I hate those kind of days/weeks but I do take pleasure in knowing that I am not the only one who has those kind of times. I love you and miss you terribly.
Rachel you are wonderful. YOu will look on this Christmas season the same way you did last year. the only differnce will be that you actually wrote and kept up on your blog =). So you'll have a few details you may have forgotten ;). You are an amazing example and mother. We all have days that we just want to go to bed and hope that some little magical elf would come visit our home,clean,cook, wash, bake, wrap, and make happy children who are bathed. That would be awesome.
I love you and hope you are having a wonderful day.
The last 4-5 sentences of this post brought me to tears. Thanks for sharing this experience. I wish that we lived closer and that I could be your "angel" when you need one. I'm so grateful that a loving Heavenly Father places people in our lives to help, bless, and comfort us. I LOVE YOU so much!
Rachel, thank you for this. Michael stepped in for me yesterday when I was barfing it up at church all day. Sadly, he had about a 1 minute warning as I ran off to the bathroom...I'm so glad you had an angel to step in for you too!
PS. I hope Nels gets the job!
Oh, Rachel. I had no idea you had a horrible day. I had no idea that your baby was sick. I am so sorry. Your post was very touching and I needed it. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in my life and what I am doing I rarely take the time to help others...sad, this being Christmas and all. I hope that she is feeling better, I hope that you are catching up on some SLEEP, and I hope that you will call me if you need your kids to come play for an afternoon of sewing. Really...or I will just come take them from you. When do you leave?
My boss gave me a book today for Christmas. The title is "Oh, Thank Goodness, It's Not Just Me!" This has been the theme of my life lately. Isn't it wonderful who the Lord places in our lives to help us along the way. Even all the way in Idaho, you've been one of those angels for me. I love you!
So I think I cried the whole time. That has been my week. I have cried a lot because I have been so busy and so stressed with finaces. I wish we lived closer. WE could cry together.
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