Glimmer of Hope

Yesterday did not go very well. Mike had previous commitments and couldn't be with us so after piano lessons I wanted to take the kids out to dinner for Maren's birthday. Have you ever tried to kill two hours in a van with five kids? I wouldn't recommend it.

I was letting them pretend to drive while I tried to take a nap in the back seat since certain kids don't like to sleep through the night. While I was laying there and Oreos were being crushed into the carpet and my iPod was being lost again, I heard Maren casually say, "I'm peeing". She was sitting in Annie's car seat. Please tell me, car seat people, why do you make it take a doctorate to take apart a seat for cleaning!

I didn't handle it too well. It was not my finest parenting moment. So instead of going to the restaurant we had to go home and get pants. De-assemble the car seat. Then we went to the restaurant, got home late, and struggled with bed time.

The kids have been monkeys. Always competitive, demanding their turn, fighting, and whining. It seems like I am the worst mother in the world. These things should be under control. What is wrong with me? What is wrong with them?

Just when I feel like my life is going to be a cross between a zoo and a circus and an insane asylum for the next 20 years I see a glimmer of hope. Today when we were waiting for Annie during speech, Maren and I hung out on the playground. Grant and Jenna's classes came out for recess. They both went running for her and me. We got big hugs and tackles. Grant chose to play away from his friends to play with her. Jenna and her friends (HT: Ellie and Gracie :) carried her around, pushed her on the swings and the merry go round.

My kids love their sister. They love each other. I can't tell you how good that was for my heart to see because some days I wonder. Some days I lecture them on how they are going to be so thankful for their siblings when they are older. But it seems they already are.

That was just enough to get me through the next twenty minutes worth of errands that took us 2 hours. It was enough to give me patience as I battled Maren and her car seat again. Some days everyone needs just a little glimmer of hope!

Did you notice one today?

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
Romans 5:3-5