It's the end of a very busy day. David is glazed over in front of the Super Bowl, the kids are in bed, I'm sitting on the love seat surrounded by coupon clippings from the Sunday paper, wondering...was the Greatest Show on Earth enough to cancel out the Grumpiest Mom on Earth?
Our surprise trip to the circus was a success, the kids didn't suspect a thing as we got up and dressed for "church" and only questioned us when we were about 8 miles past where we would have turned for church. As we told them about our big surprise, Lily grinned ear to ear, but Luke said, as he shook his head, "But we're not really going to the circus, right?" Apparently, the little guy has had too much disappointment in his life to believe a good thing when he hears it. What?!? I don't think so! I don't know what made him think I'd tell them all about our circus plans, then say, "Just kidding!" He squealed with joy when I confirmed that YES we were indeed going to the circus. It was a great show, and they're really at the perfect age to enjoy it. Unlike the baby beside me who was scared to death at first, then fell asleep. I'll post a few pics when I get them on the computer, of my own kids, not the baby beside me. I was thrilled with the seats I'd picked, somewhat blindly, when I ordered the tickets. They were great, aisle seats, and best of all, they were a steal! I wanted to share my news with all the people around me that I was certain had paid full price, or those people in the "cheap" seats way up high who paid more for theirs than I did for my lower level seats. Not to gloat, just to inform them about the beauty of searching for deals. Really, not to brag, but to be a public service. But back to the show...there were times my heart was pounding with excitement, times I teared up as I watched Lily and Luke soak up every moment, times I thought I'd go postal on the little kid behind me kicking my seat. Every range of emotion, that's how you know it's been a good show, right?
After the circus, we made it home for a quick wardrobe change (clothes covered in snowcone and public arena grossness), before heading to church for a cookout and services. Amazing worship tonight, and an awesome message. A great way to top off a day at the Big Top.
So all that to say, it's been a busy day. A very busy day, following a long week of sick kids and disrupted sleep. Add to that my biological propensity to be very moody this particular week of the month, and by bedtime I was one grumpy mom. Maybe, the Grumpiest Mom on Earth. But nobody buys tickets to see that, not even with a discount. Sadly, if I'm honest, it's not just today either. It's been several days now. And although I know my general sense of well-being is interrupted by my once a month "I hate being a girl" hormone variations, I also know that I'm the only one who can choose to, or choose not to, lose my cool when the cereal is spilled, the wet paint on the school project is smudged, the teeth aren't brushed the first time I ask, the silliness at bedtime doesn't stop the minute the lights go out. Once the moment has passed, it's my lack of self control that bothers me far, far more than whatever it was I lashed out at. It's my misbehavior that sticks with me, not theirs.
So tonight, as Lily and Luke drift off to sleep, I hope the elephants, tigers, trapeze artists, motorcyclists, clowns, dancers, jugglers, horses and all the other wonders that captured their attention still linger in their minds. And amongst all that happiness of the day (including a trip on the light rail, which to the kids is almost as exciting as the circus!), I hope there is just no room left for my raised voice or frustrated sighs to ring in their ears.
Today was the last day of the circus in our area, and as the Greatest Show rolls out of town, I sincerely hope the Grumpiest Mom is on her way out, too.
Our surprise trip to the circus was a success, the kids didn't suspect a thing as we got up and dressed for "church" and only questioned us when we were about 8 miles past where we would have turned for church. As we told them about our big surprise, Lily grinned ear to ear, but Luke said, as he shook his head, "But we're not really going to the circus, right?" Apparently, the little guy has had too much disappointment in his life to believe a good thing when he hears it. What?!? I don't think so! I don't know what made him think I'd tell them all about our circus plans, then say, "Just kidding!" He squealed with joy when I confirmed that YES we were indeed going to the circus. It was a great show, and they're really at the perfect age to enjoy it. Unlike the baby beside me who was scared to death at first, then fell asleep. I'll post a few pics when I get them on the computer, of my own kids, not the baby beside me. I was thrilled with the seats I'd picked, somewhat blindly, when I ordered the tickets. They were great, aisle seats, and best of all, they were a steal! I wanted to share my news with all the people around me that I was certain had paid full price, or those people in the "cheap" seats way up high who paid more for theirs than I did for my lower level seats. Not to gloat, just to inform them about the beauty of searching for deals. Really, not to brag, but to be a public service. But back to the show...there were times my heart was pounding with excitement, times I teared up as I watched Lily and Luke soak up every moment, times I thought I'd go postal on the little kid behind me kicking my seat. Every range of emotion, that's how you know it's been a good show, right?
After the circus, we made it home for a quick wardrobe change (clothes covered in snowcone and public arena grossness), before heading to church for a cookout and services. Amazing worship tonight, and an awesome message. A great way to top off a day at the Big Top.
So all that to say, it's been a busy day. A very busy day, following a long week of sick kids and disrupted sleep. Add to that my biological propensity to be very moody this particular week of the month, and by bedtime I was one grumpy mom. Maybe, the Grumpiest Mom on Earth. But nobody buys tickets to see that, not even with a discount. Sadly, if I'm honest, it's not just today either. It's been several days now. And although I know my general sense of well-being is interrupted by my once a month "I hate being a girl" hormone variations, I also know that I'm the only one who can choose to, or choose not to, lose my cool when the cereal is spilled, the wet paint on the school project is smudged, the teeth aren't brushed the first time I ask, the silliness at bedtime doesn't stop the minute the lights go out. Once the moment has passed, it's my lack of self control that bothers me far, far more than whatever it was I lashed out at. It's my misbehavior that sticks with me, not theirs.
So tonight, as Lily and Luke drift off to sleep, I hope the elephants, tigers, trapeze artists, motorcyclists, clowns, dancers, jugglers, horses and all the other wonders that captured their attention still linger in their minds. And amongst all that happiness of the day (including a trip on the light rail, which to the kids is almost as exciting as the circus!), I hope there is just no room left for my raised voice or frustrated sighs to ring in their ears.
Today was the last day of the circus in our area, and as the Greatest Show rolls out of town, I sincerely hope the Grumpiest Mom is on her way out, too.
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