T-Rex.

Yesterday was a bad day. Nothing in particularly bad happened. It might have been my hormones. It might have been sleep deprivation. It might have been the kids going crazy as Mike and I call it "T-Rexin it!" We make our arms tiny like a T-Rex and roar.
Yeah, the kids were definitely T-Rexin it.

It started off a good enough day. Mike and the kids and I went to the bank and I went to Kinko's to fax medical request info. for Samuel. I dropped him off at school and the kids and i went to Target to make some major returns. You know those items you tell yourself you need to return but they keep lingering bec. you couldn't find the receipt or whatever. I had spent the morning digging through the receipts and taping them to the items. No kidding, I probably had 15 items to return. A cardigan I didn't try on... and surprise it didn't fit. A clock that never worked right in the first place, a pair of shorts that are marked with the sticker 3T but the inside label was 2T. A tool kit (um, a scrapbooking tool kit) I didn't use because I got a crop-a-dile... oh happy eyelets and punches...(for the scrappers out there). I think you guys get the point. Some of the stuff wasn't returnable bec. the receipts had expired. Some of them by a couple of days. One of the ladies was giving me a hard time but the other lady was sweet. She saw that I had made the effort to get my act together (the receipts being taped on!) Okay, so I didn't return 4 out of the 15 items- not bad!

Anyway, we left there and went to my favorite lunch place ever (Panera). Samuel slept in my arms and I ate my salad in peace and most of my sandwich before he woke up. Libby was a little wild (not too bad) and stayed most of the time in her seat. I had another return to make at a store and we got home.... that's where the real problems began. Libby had fallen asleep in the car and I was trying to carry her and Samuel in my arms and open the door all at the same time. She was so ready for a nap. I put her down and him down (they share a room). I proceed to go downstairs to make a cup of tea. Well, he has this little mobile in his room and was pushing the music and yelling happily.... which was keeping Libby awake. So I pick him up and take him downstairs and feed him so more food. Put him down an hour later. She wakes up and is freaking out so I put her in bed with me, give her some books and proceed to read Grapes of Wrath while trying not to hear her rendition of "I'm a Big Sister" and "Green Eggs & Ham" and "The Best Nest".

I'm about to fall asleep and she proceeds to jump on me and yell "Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" a million times. So I put her in her bed...I got to my room and fall asleep.... Well, I didn't realize Mike must have turned the monitor off earlier that morning. I was up the night before till 2 a.m. Our neighbors threw their 3rd party within a week. They've kept us up for 4 nights though. One night they just played drums, guitair, bass till 1:30 a.m, but that time there weren't a bunch of drunk people, yelling and laughing, and thumping the house. They're seriously making me lose my mind :) Anyway, needless to say, I slept hard. I woke up several hours later and realized what time it was. I jumped out of bed and went into the hall to hear the kids crying. they were both hysterical and inconsolable. I felt terrible. Usually I would hear them over the monitor. I picked them up and the crying didn't stop for the rest of the day. You know the kind of hyperventilating crying/screaming that kids can do.

So the rest of the day I just felt edgy. It's hot. There is no AC, just a unit downstairs and one overhead fan in our bedroom- the kids don't have a fan... guess, what I'm buying today!

Anyway, I was almost afraid of today because yesterday was so bad. Like I said, not much happened it just was awful.

It made me think of this song I really related to as a teen. It's by the band Fuel.

Had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
She left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"

She spilled her coffee, broke her shoelace
Smeared the lipstick on her face
Slammed the door and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"

And she swears there's nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me off and puts me on

And had a bad day again
She said I would not understand
Left a note and said, "I'm sorry I
had a bad day again"

But in more relatable terms to present day it made me think of the book: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.


Anyway, I'm probably more of the T-Rex than the kids. Today, I got up early with Libby and we did Pilates together... she really is cute trying! I fed her and Samuel breakfast and had a quiet time with the Lord. I've had two cups of tea today and it's not even 11:30 a.m. But I feel more at peace. I thank God that today has been a respite from the craziness of yesterday. Often I judge my days based on how productive I was. Yesterday, there was a lot of productivity but not much peace. I think I would rather feel the presence of God and not get much done (at least in my eyes), than go out and accomplish the world on my own. I'm asking God to help me keep my heart quiet, to still my mind, and to rest in His goodness. Yeah, I know stuff needs to get done, but it's better to do it with God as my strength than leaning on myself.

Jesus says to us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11: 28-31)

Comments

Michelle said…
Whew!
Anonymous said…
How kind the Lord is to instruct you to what is really important.........can you imagine the day without His Grace and Mercy to sustain you???
Love you,
faf
Reaghan said…
Hey well I do hope you have a better day today!
But I wanted to say I LOVE how you write!! You just like pull the writer in and really entertain them with your writing! I love reading your blog!!!!
Keep it up
I love you
~Reaghan
erin said…
I love that verse. It brings me such peace everytime I read it. Jennifer, you are supermom!!!! I love reading about all your adventures with the kiddos. Sounds like you guys have alot of fun :).

ps- can I put the link to your site on my page so I can get to it easier and read it more often??
Jenn said…
Jennifer, I loved your post. And I was thinking, "It's probably good Mike turned off that monitor, you needed that sleep." :) I love the T-Rexin quote too, very cute.
Thanks for sharing friend!
Love you and Happy Mother's Day!
Jennifer said…
Erin, of course you can use me as a link. I know it makes things easier... and at this point I don't care who reads my blog... I'm just letting it all hang out :)

Jenn, Michelle, Reaghan & Faf- I'm so grateful that you guys are able to draw anything good from this. Sometimes all I see is my sin, weaknesses, and failure... if there is something good to be seen than I am happy because I know that the Savior is shining through even if it's just small parts of me. It's His goodness to be working in me and changing me.

Love,

Jennifer Leigh
Jennifer said…
Erin, of course you can use me as a link. I know it makes things easier... and at this point I don't care who reads my blog... I'm just letting it all hang out :)

Jenn, Michelle, Reaghan & Faf- I'm so grateful that you guys are able to draw anything good from this. Sometimes all I see is my sin, weaknesses, and failure... if there is something good to be seen than I am happy because I know that the Savior is shining through even if it's just small parts of me. It's His goodness to be working in me and changing me.

Love,

Jennifer Leigh
Anonymous said…
Hey Jenn,I know what you mean some days everything seems to go wrong! I have the book you mentioned and I love reading it. Jenn I think you are doing a great job as a mom and every time I read your blog I learn some thing new!

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