Day 39

Today is Saturday.

This morning, some friends and I threw a surprise baby shower for our friend Ashley.
My primary job was to bring the sandwiches. (They give me the easy tasks, because they know I'm no Holly Homemaker.)

I ordered them early in the week and arranged to pick them up at 9:30 this morning, because the shower was starting at 10:45 and the girl who was hosting lives about 25 minutes from my house.

I was totally prepared this morning. Thanks to my cleaned out closet, I had even chosen my clothes last night. My friend Amy did the dirty work and arranged for the babysitter, so all I had to do was get the sandwiches, drop the kids off at Amy's, and head to the shower.

The plan was going smoothly until 9:31 when I was standing in front of the deli counter and the workers were acting like they had no earthly idea what I was doing there asking for sandwiches.

Do you know how long it takes to slap together 4 feet of subs? I'll tell you-- twenty minutes.
Twenty long minutes.
Twenty minutes of the kids running circles around my cart.
Twenty minutes of thinking I could do it faster myself.
Twenty minutes wondering if I was going to get the sandwiches to the party before Ashley arrived for the surprise.

I made it.
But my morning of zen was ruined.
This is what I get for making an attempt to be on-the-ball.

I thought that might be the lowest point in my day, until 4:30pm when I had a temper tantrum in the driveway.
Not the kids.
Me.

I was simply trying to replace the tube in the tire of Alex's bike. But I could not get the darn old tube out of there. I tried everything, and it just wouldn't come off the rim.

I realize now that this is really not a big deal, and I can certainly ask someone for help or take it somewhere, but it was just frustrating and I really wanted to throw the whole wheel across the yard.
The kids wouldn't stop trying to "help" me and Alex kept asking when she was going to be able to ride her bike again.
I may or may not have told her that she can ride again in the spring when daddy is home.

Sometimes I just want my husband to be home.
Maybe even more than sometimes.

Overall we are doing really well, but there are always those moments that remind me of how long we still have to go.
Going to church without him is always one of those times, and many days I think I would be a much better mommy if there was just someone else to step in now and then and deal with an argument, give a bath, or wipe a tushie.

39 days down.
About 4 weeks until I head north and get a reprieve from grandparents, aunts, & uncles.

I miss you, Josh Schore.
I might even kiss you with that mustache if you were around.

Maybe.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, my love. I'll do better.

But I do have this-- Alex reading a story she wrote for school. It had to be about a bug, and needed to show personification.

Can I just say that I'm re-learning a lot of things I'd forgotten? This is alarming, as she is in first grade.

I love that the wings were "bright and colorful." Have you seen her wardrobe? Of course they were :)