Sunshine and Chocolate

Do you ever feel like it's hard?  Like the day at hand is just...hard?  I keep thinking of that song Walking on Sunshine, and how I'm not walking on sunshine.  I think of people like the Pioneer Woman, who keeps a blog about her life out in the country, and she never really complains about things.  Sure, she "whines" about her hubby getting her up at 4:30 in the morning to go work the cattle, but I can tell she's not really complaining.  Don't get me wrong, I love reading her site (I'm addicted, in fact) and she's a wonderful story-teller, but can her life really be all sunshine and chocolate cake?  It's just not like that here.  Well, the chocolate cake part, yes, but the sunshine part, not so much.

Today has been the kind of day that just feels like it's pushing you down from the get-go.  I hurried Christian to school just on time because everyone woke up late this morning (oops, I didn't set an alarm for myself).  I found out school was closing early because of some bad weather that was coming.  I raced to two grocery stores with my girls in order to get bread and stuff for Christian's birthday (which is tomorrow!) all the while thinking about how we had not been able to make a great birthday party plan for him this year-and feeling bad about it.  Once home, I threw the cold stuff into the kitchen and breathlessly asked Mike to put it away so I could run over and pick up Christian.  I'm super paranoid about the icky-sickies that seem to be going around the school, and worried about the household becoming a vomit factory.  We did lunch, which went smoothly, and then I could not get Eliana to go to sleep for her afternoon nap.  The child refused to sleep.  R-E-F-U-S-E-D.  I finally left her in her bed (I was in there with her, because she has been going to sleep in her bed lately, while I stand there quietly and it wasn't taking very long, so I thought we were on to something new) and she was howling.  I could only stand that for about 15 minutes, because she definitely wasn't toning it down.  So, I went in and got her, and put her in the high chair with some yogurt...maybe she was too hungry to go to sleep?  She was sitting there with Michaela in the dining room, and I went to unload and reload the dishwasher in anticipation of dinnertime.  I discovered this when I returned a moment later to the dining room...

She finally gave in...the poor girl had her head down on her tray with one hand in her yogurt; some of her bangs were in there too.  It was sad and funny all at the same time.  I cleaned her up gently and leaned her seat back and she slept for about an hour.  This was actually one of the most pleasant parts of the day.  Maybe I should reflect on that a little bit. 

Christian was busy with a Lego project and Michaela was reading on the couch.  I looked at some emails, finished a couple of things in the kitchen, sat with Christian a minute.  He wanted a snack, so I got him cheese and crackers.  All of these things were so peaceful.  That was nice, now that I think about it.  On this very gray, dismal, cold, true winter day, there was a little sunshine. 

Things really were fine for the rest of the afternoon, as we headed toward the dinner hour (or two).  The (big) kids played together in our schoolroom/playroom, and worked on thank you notes, and were sweet and silly with Eliana.  Christian had a couple of moments grouching about having to write.  I just let him be for a while.  Then he brought me this...

Is it getting warm in here, or is it just me?  I think I need to go get my sunglasses...

Bedtime was a little trying.  Eliana again refused to go in her bed (which, at night, she has been doing beautifully for a LONG time now-so this was very weird).  I was attempting to be compassionate, thinking something might be up-teeth coming in, new separation anxiety phase, having to poop.  Yep, that's the one.  She pooped, at 9:00 p.m.  Very odd.  So, I got her out of her bed and changed her diaper and took her back to bed.  Meanwhile, the other two, shall we call them "Frick" and "Frack", were trying to avoid going to bed because of all manner of ailments.  Which actually happened to be real ones, although strange.  Finally, everyone was in bed and the house was quiet; the steady whir of the dishwasher, and the quiet tumbling of the dryer were music to my ears. 

I want to add a little bit here about my husband, as he is strangely missing from my synopsis of the day (oh, except for rescuing me in my getting-cold-groceries-put-away moment)...he is finishing up his dissertation.  Enough said, eh?

So, we all managed to survive this day that at first glance seemed so tough, and what with all this apparent sunshine I think I will enjoy some chocolate cake as I bask in it.  Actually, it's chocolate chip cheesepie, but that will do.  And from now on, you can just call me...

Comments

[Jen]

heehee, I love that shirt! I have it in green. I put it on when I NEEEEED to feel like Li'l Miss Sunshine! :)