Dear Startled Reader,
Have you ever wondered what on Earth possessed you to agree to something? I tend to be a deep thinker. In fact, some - such as my husband - would say I think too much. I'm thinking this was not the case when I casually agreed to keep my siblings while my parents took a two week thirtieth anniversary trip. I love my parents. I love my siblings. I also love my sanity. This undertaking put my kid count up to seven overnight. Do you have any idea how much laundry that is? How many servings of food? How much I'm wishing for my dryer and my dishwasher right now? I used to think I wanted eight kids of my own... Not so much anymore. To tell the truth we are doing fine. I bought boxes of cup-o-noodles so I don't have to cook big meals every other second. The sibs know how to do their chores to keep the house fairly clean about as fast as they can mess it up. They even like to help out with my kiddly winks, most of the time. They are all pretty good kids. As FINE as we are, I still feel like a radio on the scan setting: What kind of word is 'woller'? shhhhhhhhh Ramen, Ramen, they want Ramen shhhhhhhhhhhh It's time for music lesson number five this week shhhhhhhhhh My hair is really not behaving shhhhhhhhhhhh Please chew with your mouth closed shhhhhhhhhhh Time to put in another load of laundry shhhhhhhhhhhhhh When was the last time you brushed your teeth? shhhhhhhhhhh We are mammels shhhhhhhhhhh Stop pounding on the piano shhhhhhhhhhhh Get the cat out of the house shhhhhhhhhhh please tell me I did not just step in syrup shhhhhhh No, we are not carving pumpkins yet shhhhhhhhhhhhh It's the hard knock life shhhhhhhhhh What day is today shhhhhhhh Hey, I didn't give you permission to make brownies shhhhhhhhhhh No, drinking the lemon juice shhhhhhhhhhh Who's turn is it to mop the floor? shhhhhhhhhhh If I have to tell you one more time to __ then I'm gonna__ shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I can't organize THIS shhhhhhhhhhh A triple recipe would be how many eggs? shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh SILENCE!!!
And on and on and on the thinking and the figuring and the telling and the yelling and the static goes until I find myself wondering if they sell straitjackets at the home health supply store in town. For the cat and the lemon juice, of course!
When Mom and Dad get back they will find me locked in the bathroom, my head covered with an ancient shower cap, muttering 1950's show-tunes while I color-code the towels and count the squares of bath-tissue left on the roll... The kids? What kids? (let the mad laughter begin)
My dear parents,
I hope you are having a nice trip.
We all miss you.
Here's hoping you will find your house still standing when you get home!
Love,
Rae
did you say when they get home....2 wks is good 3 should be better your in the grove now lol
ReplyDeleteOPPS! that sounded like it could be your dad....?
ReplyDeleteOh my, seriously you will feel like you are on vacation when you get back to your "little space" with your LITTLE family!
HUGS to you!!
THis past winter I had 9 kids (6 yrs to 1 yr)(mostly) during the day, sometimes over night! We normally have just 4. I felt just like you. (I certainly didn't do it by choice, my SIL was hopsitalized with a blood clot on her brain.. so we did ALL we could do to help her out!) including losing my sanity :D
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm laughing...because of your hilarious account, not because of your situation. :-) Hope it goes quickly! :-) Yes, you will appreciate your own situation more now.
ReplyDeleteROFL! Trust me, I'm laughing WITH you, not at you! You know, that crazy 'commit me now' laugh?!
ReplyDeleteI did that once... or maybe twice... you know, took on all my siblings while mom & dad enjoyed some quiet time...
Get your self an ipod/mp3 player and a nice set of ear buds. Load up your calming music and crank it up loud! You won't hear anything but serenity! (BTDT, until my mp3 player broke... think I'm going to buy myself a new once since Jim is out of town for part of the week!)
sounds like so much fun....almost makes us homesick! (almost) You are brave and courageous and we can't say thankyou enough.
ReplyDeleteSee you in 2 weeks....:)
Dear Rae, I totally understand. There were times I took on my sibs plus a batch of cousins and you know every time I did it I ended up in the er with a certain one. To tell you the truth I miss those days once in a while but I am glad it wasn't for 2 weeks or I probably never would have gotten married and had a little monster of my own. Glad things are looking up though, morning and sun always seem to make things look beter.
ReplyDelete