Halloween, for those who were wondering

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Keep Calm and Carry On

Have you ever had an hour that started out with your toddler falling off the couch and cutting up his lip, followed by the realization it is dinner time (by the kids whining, "Mom, I'm hungry), and you have no idea what you will make?  Then you head to the kitchen where your week-old addition to the family (a 2 month old puppy) piddles on the floor and you step right in it. 

The hour conintues.  As you are cleaning up the yellow mess and putting the puppy in her crate, another of your children (one of the older ones who should know better) screams they NEED you in the bathroom right away.  As you open the bathroom door, you are welcomed by a pile of diarrhea in your child's underwear, and streaks all over the toilet seat and a guilty (albeit cute) face.  "There is no way on this earth (you at least refrain from taking the Lord's name in vain) that I am cleaning that up for you, " you reply and shut the door.  The next five minutes of chaos are overshadowed by the guilty party crying in the bathroom that it wasn't their fault and they don't want to clean it up.  You resist the urge to open the door and yell.  And by resist, I mean literally grit my teeth.

The next half-hour conitunes as you pull together 'breakfast for dinner.'  Waffles, the old stand-by.  As you are finishing up, you open the cupboard and realize there is just a small amount of syrup left.  Finally everyone is sitting down.  Calm exists for the 30 seconds it takes Roger to say a prayer.  Then the question comes, "Why doesn't mine have syrup?  This is gross."  I explain that every waffle does indeed have syrup, but in limited quantities.  Whining ensues.  You grit your teeth again, and convince the kids that a huge dollop of jam will do the trick.  The kids relent.  You look at the clock and, miraculously, it is time for America's Funniest Home Videos.  Saved!!  The best T.V. hour of the week.

D calls just as the show is ending, "Wow, it has been a crazy day for me."  I answer, "That stinks.  Thanks for working so hard for our family."  (I think a few other things, but refrain from sharing).

And yes, you read that right.  D decided to get a puppy.  She's adorable.  The kids love her.  Her name is Izzy. I have decided I am crazy to have agreed to this. . . . but isn't this the cutest thing?