Saturday, January 24, 2009

Fantasy vs. Reality. And Some Gratitude

How my day was supposed to go:

1. Wake up early and go for a 7-8 miler
2. Go home and say goodbye to David as he leaves for skiing with Jeff
3. Put on loud and happy music and be Super-Positive-Mom who encourages her kids to get their work done with Happiness and No Complaining!
4. Practice for a couple of hours
5. Go shopping for a new oven and find one for a screaming deal (suffice it to say, my oven element exploded due to the awesomeness of my chocolate chip cookies. My oven is about 50 years old. It also lacks two burners. As much as I do not WANT to buy a new oven, I'm afraid I need one.)
6. Organize another corner of the house and make another trip to DI
7. Watch my family play happily and remark how much we all love to be together

How my day went:

1. Stay up half the night with a baby with the stomach flu
2. Cut my run in half when I realize sweet baby has passed on the stomach flu
3. Put on loud and happy music and be Super-Screaming-Mom who encourages her kids to get their work done with Fear and Trembling!
4. Gather myself, apologize to sweet children, and give up on getting ALL the work done
5. Be surprised that David and Jeff come home after 1 1/2 hours because when they got to the resort, it was raining.
6. Shake my head in amazement as one by one, each of us (except Kate) gives in to the stomach flu
7. Sit down to be a good mom and do a puzzle with Kate when I realize the strange sound I've been ignoring is rushing water from an overflowing toilet upstairs pouring into the laundry room. All over the three loads of wash I'd just finished. And everywhere else
8. Work on a talk for sacrament meeting I was asked to give Thursday night
8. Go hide in bed

But I wouldn't be Super-Optimistic-Mom if I couldn't find some silver linings. So here they are (weak as they may be)...

1. I'm grateful that Ben pooped all over ME twice rather than anyone or anywhere else (ha ha)
2. I'm grateful that all of our towels were clean, dry, and in their place so that I could mop up all the water from the overflowing toilet
3. I'm grateful that David was able to give Ben a blessing in the middle of the night and that Ben responded by sleeping for a few hours. (I'm so grateful for the priesthood.)
4. I'm grateful that David earned the Amazing Dad award by taking Sophie on a Daddy-Daughter Date, then taking Josh to Home Depot twice to make something for Josh's science project, even with the stomach flu
5. I'm grateful that the talk I have to give in sacrament meeting tomorrow is on commitment to the gospel and to the home as a wife and mother...Because after a day like today, I am reminded that the good, the bad, and the ugly are all part of this journey. And I guess I'm committed...for better or worse.

7 comments:

Austin and Leslie said...

Wow, Kerri. Sounds rough. I hope the flu is passing quickly. Good luck speaking tomorrow.

Katie M said...

The way you wrote this made me laugh!

I loved the Super-Positive-Mom/Super-Screaming-Mom part. Then I felt really bad for laughing when I heard about the poop.

The fact that you can turn a day like today into something humorous to look back on is a very good sign though!

Liz said...

You're truly amazing! I'm still not even close on my talk, but it'll come together somehow...right? Sorry about the flood, the poop, and the flu! Good luck tonight...I'll pray for you!

Malisa said...

Seriously, the toilet overflowed down into your laundry room? Hide in bed sounds just about right. What a day you had, dear optimistic Kerri.

Lisa said...

Wow! You had a lot going on, hiding in bed sounds like a good way to deal with it all. Good job of keeping optimistic despite it all.

Camilla Millar said...

Yikes, that was NOT the funnest Saturday ever--sorry? (didn't Liz speak on 2 days notice as well, hmmm someone in the bishopric kindof procrastinating there)

Tracy said...

Kerri - your posts make me smile - I can relate which is why I love them so much. Your attitude is wonderful and contagious - I just love you!! Sure would be fun to meet "for real" someday!!