How Did...

my evening get so out of control? Today I needed to finish the errands that I didn't get to yesterday. I started a little late because, due to a NyQuil hangover, I went back to bed this morning. No problem, Nathan had a meeting after school and would get a ride home with our carpool buddy. I had extra time to run around Dover, so I felt no pressure. I was finished errands, came home for the stress meter to go off the charts!

First stresser: As I come through the door I see a new message on the machine. Nate's carpool buddy left school early with the stomach flu. (This, of course, was promptly blamed on exposure to our family!) I need to pick Nate up from his meeting. Ok, this presents several issues. A. I just passed his school on the way home and could've picked him up then! B. I don't know what time the meeting is over! C. I have other children coming home from elementary school with homework that will need to be taken care of while I pick up Nathan. D. I am supposed to be getting dinner ready at this time so that we can do our other nightly activities!

No problem, I wade my way through those issues to face the...

Second stresser: Kaylyn has to play her violin at the Board of Education meeting tonight at 6:00. We need to be there at 5:30. Somehow, the paper informing me of this didn't come home until yesterday! Also, Kaylyn has a friend that needs a ride, please, as her mommy's car is in the shop. No problem, where does she live? You guessed it, 10 minutes in the WRONG direction! Oh, and Gary is running late coming home from work!

No problem! I've got this under control! I put frozen chicken nuggets and fries in the oven and leave Nathan, Collin and Claire at home. (Danny came with Kaylyn and me.) Gary and I pass each other in the driveway. He gets home early enough to get the "dinner" out of the oven. Of course, at this point, I am running about 8 minutes late to pick up Kaylyn's friend, but that's ok. Also, there are 2 pickup trucks in the driveway. I'm not judging, but I sure hope that BOTH of those trucks are in non-working order! I pick up her friend (I've never met her or her family before, but NO ONE comes out to meet me. At another time I will talk about how much this concerns me, but I don't want to digress!) and head back towards the B.O.E. building, passing our house on the way.

Gary, at this point, calls me and wants to know if he takes "dinner" out of the oven, or just flips them. Good question. Looking at the fries now, they could've used several more minutes, but that's ok. Bless him, he feeds the kids left at home in time to...

Third stresser: Take Nathan to basketball practice at 6:30. This leaves 2 children, Collin and Claire to run over to Grammy's house until I get home from dropping Kaylyn's friend off.

Ok, now, I realize that those of you that live in civilization, as I used to, this seems like no big deal. HOWEVER, I do not live in civilization, I live in the country. What used to be just down the road is now 15 minutes in totally opposite directions, making a round trip half an hour! I have to say, I must have the best husband on Earth, because, although he is a planner, he took all of this craziness in stride without complaining! He was wonderful just doing what needed to be done.

And just think, when I woke up this morning, I thought I had this day under control!

Well, now that is off my chest, I am going to eat my cream of potato soup and try to unwind. Thanks for reading and, I am sure, laughing through our crazy night! Just think, you too can have this life. Just have 5 kids, a husband that works and hour and a half away and then move to the country where driving is just a way of life!