Escaping Alcatraz

For some reason, I thought Jon only had a half day at school today. WRONG. Today is his long day. How did I mess that up? I beg him to let me sleep in just for a little. He wakes me up at 9:15. He has to leave. I cry a little on the inside when I realize we have no regular coffee and I forgot to pick some up. I lock myself in the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Okay, I'm ready. Bring on the day.

I wash up the few remaining dishes in the sink- this HAS to be a priority in our house or else we will be buried in dirty dishes. I am going to do a cartwheel the day we purchase our first dishwasher. I might even kiss the salesman... depends on how frisky I'm feeling that day. (Cheek, of course... calm down.)

Anyway, Jon grabs our devotional book so we can speed read through it before he jets out of here and leaves me alone with these two monkey children. Today's devotional story was about a couple, so deeply in love, that they continually fill one another's love banks up to the brim by their loving actions. We can't help but laugh as Jon adds "before they had kids" to the end of each sentence. It's so true. We were like that, once. I think all couples are. Man, how these little people in our lives throw a wrench in the romance.

Quick kiss and he's out the door. Dawson is cranky (I would be too if I slept as awfully as he does. Wait, I do...). I play with the boys for a few. There's not much in the fridge; the fruit bowl on the counter begs to be filled. I'm planning on a trip to Aldi, but when? Now? After Dawson naps? I lay him down. He cries. Noah and I decide that we'll quietly work on a few puzzles while Dawson falls asleep. There isn't much that Noah enjoys doing solo yet, and it's exhausting. He gets frustrated so easily and I constantly have to give him the, "calm down, you can do it!" pep talk. I need that pep talk.

Anyway, Dawson should be napping by now, but he's not. He's too busy taking his diaper off and peeing all over his crib. I strip the mattress and decide that now would be the perfect time for Aldi. Kids dressed, in the car, ready to go. Don't forget your quarter! Man, I'd be lost without the quarter. Must have cart at Aldi, especially with two monkeys present.

Noah whines. I think- "Hey, I'll give him the quarter to hold onto for the short trip to Aldi and he'll feel super special". I warn him not to lose the quarter (we have less than a mile to go) or we won't be able to get a cart. I'm frustrated, as I somehow now am scrounging up PENNIES to replace the quarter Noah lost- probably as I told him how important it was NOT to lose the quarter. I search the car- no quarter. How does this happen? Did he eat it?!

I find enough change and ask a guy coming out if he'll give me his cart in return for the change. I blame the fact that I no longer have a quarter (I WAS prepared) on my child and he understands. (But does he really?) Thankfully, Aldi has TWO spots in the front of the cart. Perfect for two monkeys. Only problem with this scenario... Aldi carts do NOT have two buckles. In fact, there are no buckles. Thanks, Aldi. Now I have to attempt to shop while keeping climbing monkeys from falling out of the cart. Good grief.

We make it through the store and are in route to home. I peek at Noah in the rear-view mirror... the kid is tired. He yawns. I was going to give them lunch when we got home, but I think they're going straight to bed. Noah hasn't napped in almost a week and today, he is napping. Dawson falls asleep, Noah keeps talking. "Mommy, I have to pee. Mommy, I need to knit a sweater. Mommy, I'm hungry. Mommy, I broke my arm."  A-n-y-t-h-i-n-g to prolong the nap. What is wrong with this picture? Please, someone order me to nap. I. Will. Not. Refuse.

He's now in my bed, still stirring. He will nap. 

For now, I'm going to wash and cut up the fruit/veggies we bought at Aldi. I'm going to go into my room 63 times, telling Noah to get back into bed and lay down. I am going to choose to be thankful for this day. I am going to clean up the same mess for the millionth time. I am going to go in to my room, time #64 and threaten the wooden spoon. I am going to remember to eat something. I am going to dream of coffee and beat myself up for not swinging through Starbucks while I had them strapped in the car. I am going to pray for patience, and remind myself repeatedly just how young they are. I am going to eat chocolate. I'm going to pay bills and clean out the fridge... And at 5pm, when my handsome, loving, darling husband gets home, I'm bustin' out to my night off. Escaping Alcatraz. 

Where do you go to escape? Tonight, you'll find me at the library- cozy in a chair, Starbucks in hand, lost in a sea of books.

Thank you, God, for this day.