Friday

I will be winning no awards today, this much I know to be true.  Two out of three boys were terribly sleep-deprived today, which meant they were terribly rotten.  (I exclude sweet baby Hatcher because, for the several months, he'll still be perfect.  Then, he will join the ranks of his rotten brothers.  I also know that much to be true.) 

Here are a few things I learned today:

1.) Sometimes, it just feels good to yell.  No, it's probably not ideal, but it can be effective.  Patrick, especially, needs a jarring little yell from time to time.  Otherwise, he tends to take for granted that Mom and Dad won't get too upset if he doesn't listen.  I'd be willing to bet I proved him wrong today. 

2.) Leo can talk more than he wants us to believe.  He says certain phrases, short sentences, etc., and we do hear a new word or two every day, but his verbal development is prompted by words we ask him to repeat.  Today, though, he pulled out a very clear sentence with minimal prompting.  Nearing my wits end, I witnessed Leo starting his nagging little "ehh?  ehh?" with his outstretched hand waving and grasping at the air.  "Leo, I can't understand you when you do that.  You're going to need to use your words," I said, barely looking up from trying to get the baby latched.  "I want a brownie," came the quick response.  Oh, ok. 

3.) I inherited my mother's ability to change my tone as soon as I answer the phone.  I learned this  because she called me, seconds after I had to send Patrick to time out.  She commented on how calm I always sound on the phone.  (Calm, maybe, because I had come close to losing my $#!+ seconds earlier).  I clearly remembered her cheerful greeting on our green rotary phone in our rural kitchen, moments after giving me the what-for about one thing or another (likely my inability to clean up after myself or the phone bill). Apparently, I fall not far from that tree. 

4.) Now, all of that being said, I realized with much certainty today that my life is pretty good.  I know, we've been down this road before.  I do feel blessed more often than not (almost constantly, really.  I can understand if it's annoying.)  Truthfully, though, I feel like I am right where I am supposed to be.  These three boys, a new church where I really feel I belong, a husband who is a great team player, and the job.  The job I love.  The job I am excited about when I wake up in the morning.  So, no matter that our days are sometimes hectic, that I cannot get my eyebrows done without an extra adult coming along (thanks, Colleen!), that I cannot wear heels anymore, that any piece of jewelry I own ends up in destructive little hands, and that I couldn't get through life at this point without a lot of support from our family and friends, it is exactly where I want to be.  Even if I have to yell. 

Now, it is 9:30 on a Friday night.  The whole house is sleeping.  I am pouring myself a drink and taking a long shower in peace.  Tomorrow starts round #867.

As a sidenote, I also learned recently that I need to keep my hair short.  Since cutting it off again a couple of months ago, my age has been guessed on four separate occassions as 4-5 years younger than what it actually is.  I'm taking that as a sign.