Sometimes I think God used up all the crazy when he made my son.

Several nights ago I was lounging on my bed, reading a book and just relishing the peace and quiet of a house with children in bed when there came a sound of falling and crashing. I knew C. Riley was behind it, but hated to imagine what could have possibly made the sound.

I stayed put and waited for his father who came out of the office asking, “What was that?”

“Only God and Christopher know.”

Paul walked past our door, headed for the boy’s room and stopped in the half bath that is just down the hall.

“How did you do that!”

I was scared now, picturing the sink pulled off the wall, and hustled to the scene and saw that the top of the toilet tank was shattered on the ground. Christopher was standing, wide-eyed and solemn, next to the mess.

“What happened?! Were you standing on the tank?”

Christopher nodded.

“Was it because you were trying to pee from there?”

Christopher swallowed then whispered, “Yes.”

I slipped away snuffling giggles and thanking God that the man was in the country for this little episode.

After a bit Paul came and dropped down beside me on the bed. “The minute I saw the mess I knew he had to have climbed up on the tank and why would he do that except to pee. With boys it’s all about cause and effect. ‘If I do this, what will happen?'”

“And you guys have that built in toy to experiment with – very handy.”

………………………..

Today I was on the phone when I heard an ominous shattering and tinkling sound in the kitchen. Standing inches from the shards of glass that were once a 3 x 4 foot mirror I found C.Riley and the Bean. He immediately apologized, “I am sorry Mom, will you forgive me? I broke the mirror.”

“What were you doing?”

“I was banging my head on the trampoline.”

Well of course, who wouldn’t bang their head on a trampoline that was propped against the piano next to where the mirror was waiting to be rehung THIS EVENING! We are painting everywhere and the dining room is slightly chaotic, but come on!

Paul had already taken the boy and his wallet to the hardware store to try and replace the tank lid. They didn’t have any and referred them to a plumber. Tonight he threatened that C. would have to replace the mirror too.

Once he was realeased from today’s lecture, Christopher headed outside with Birdie.

“I need a lyre.” He told her.

“A lawyer?” She asked.

“Yes.”

Get in line, Mister.

Saturday 2:35 a.m.

Awake with a start to Birdie in the doorway, “I’m sorry, Mama, I threw up.”

Jumped out of bed and got her to the bathroom where she miraculously made it to the toilet, cleaned her up and put her back in bed and tried to gently stroke her forehead until I realized I was passing out, kissed her and stumbled back to bed, stopping only to call Paul (who had gone back to work with an emergency) and mumble incoherently for a few minutes before hanging up and falling asleep.

……………………………

Sunday 3:35 a.m.

Dreamt someone was screaming and awoke to the thought, “Must stop screaming lest it wakes our guests” In my dream they were specific people, but once I awoke I realized we had no guests and later realized they weren’t real people. Lept out of bed and ran yelling, “Mama’s coming!” to the girls’ room, pushed open the door and saw Beanie, dressed only in a diaper, standing in the corner of her crib screaming, “My poopie is hurting my bottom!” Lydia was half awake and muttering unintelligibly. I grabbed the Bean, laid her on the floor, extracted the painful poo, put a fresh diaper on and redressed her. Holding her I didn’t know quite what to do. I was so tired I could barely stand. I know it’s like a horror movie and you’re all yelling, “Get out of there! Run!!!!!”

It’s so easy to know what to do when you are sitting in the audience. On the screen it gets a little confusing.

So I brought her back to bed with me where Paul was still lying comatose and tucked her in between us. She immediately started sucking her thumb and snuffling her blankie. We both were out like a light in seconds.

……………………………..

Sunday 8:00 a.m.

Awoke to two little feet in my side and Paul asking, “How did this happen?”

I wanted to say a little something about Paul today but had a very busy running around sort of day and didn’t really blog at all.

He has had a lot going on at work, late nights, new and big responsibilities, some travel he was planning on, as well as another trip that piggy backs the first. He just found out about the second trip this week. He will be gone for four days, be back for our anniversary on one day, the Big Kids’ profession of faith on the second and then gone again for five days. Yippee!

He has had a breathless week, the sort where he is rushing from one thing to the next and being pulled in ten different directions constantly. Tonight he came home tired and a little stressed. Fridays are our movie nights which means all of us change into our jammies as soon as Paul gets home, eat dinner sitting on the living room floor, light candles and watch a video. Tonight we had a fire too. It is a good way for us to ease into the weekend as a family.

After we got the girls in bed he checked his e-mail and realized there was something he needed to do at the office. This was at 10:30. So he is back at work. He is not a workaholic, just a hard working guy who is currently under a lot of demands on his time.

Babe, I’m proud of you. I understand that you are doing a lot of juggling to keep me and the kids, your commitments at church and all your responsibilities at work from falling to the ground. Thank you for working hard and living as your word. I respect and love you and am very grateful I get to be

Your Ali

“I am going to Nanica (Canada) like Wennie (her cousin, Ren).

“I’m going to miss you.”

“Ahm goin to miss you too.”

“I love you!”

“Ah love you too.”

She was gone for about 2 seconds before returning as a cat named Milo.

I really need to dash as I am a black and white “Mudder Kitty” and Milo is in constant danger from “shocksies” (sharks).

……………………….

I was just asked to help her remove her jeans as she is wanting to be a Koala Bear. Removed the pants and was rewarded with a line she picked up from her brother,

“Sanks Mom, you’re a lifesaver.”

1. My dad was a terrible singer…terrible…all nasally and tone deaf.

2. And yet he sang a good amount: in church, while shaving, and on Saturday or Sunday mornings to his Mahalia Jackson records.

3. He had one song for shaving and was usually content to belt out one line, “In my old rendezvous, where I first met you.” It’s because of this that when I first read the word that looked like, “Ren Dezz Vus” I was able to quickly pluck the real pronunciation from my auditory memory.

For the first time I wonder if he was picturing a place when he was singing that song.