You know it's going to be one of those days when...

You try to encourage your son to do his homework but not worry about it since it's not due till the following day. He responds, "There's no school tomorrow." Oh, and that means today is early day, school gets out at 1:30 instead of 3:45. UGH!

This turns a well thought out and simply planned day into being late, late, late, and long, long, long. We had to finish the homework, being late to school. That's okay though. We don't really need to get the kids all dressed because sweet sister is coming to tend them while I drop Dallas off at school.

What's that? Oh, she can't find the keys. Can I bring them over to her house instead? Sure. What? Oh, bring food for them to eat too? I guess I should feed them. That translates to packing a lunch, changing clothes including getting shoes on all five other kids, loading them in the truck (catching the runners and dragging them away from the snow fun kicking and screaming) and driving Dallas to school within 15 minutes. Get him to school and then take the kids to be tended 10 minutes the opposite direction, drive to trade vehicles at hubby's work (the suburban is difficult to park down town) get to BYU Salt Lake Center to take a test.

Ahh. I have arrived in plenty of time. A friend calls and as we chat, she asks why I didn't just call her to tend. I have no idea why I didn't think of calling someone near our house… Ooops! I forgot that Stephen has early day! Argh! Hurry in to take the test. I should be fine. I have about 30 minutes to take a 60 question test. I think I can probably finish within 20 minutes. What?!?! It's not 60 questions. It's 95!!! And there is a survey about how the class was since it's a final? AAAAHHHhh!

Oh, another afterthought: Travel time to get back home! There's 30 minutes till Stephen gets out of school! Well, since I have already sat down to begin the test, there's only one thing to do – take it in a hurry!

I finish the test in record time, probably not my best work though, and start running to the car. Instead of stopping by the store quickly and trading the car/truck again before getting the kids, I attempt to rush home. I discover that they have closed the freeway exit to one lane, down the road all the way to my neighborhood! What would usually take ten minutes is all one lane!

Panic sets in. I call neighbors, first one - no answer, two is in bountiful and not available today, three- no answer again. What other numbers are programmed into my phone? AAAAHHHH! Did I leave the door open or is he locked out? I can't remember! Do we have a plan of what to do when you get home and no one is there? Of course not! That should never happen! I call one more time and Peggy has just walked in the door getting home from the airport. HOORAY! Someone is home! She saves me! Peggy walks across the road and checks to see how Stephen is. He is home and inside. Of course, with our history and being asked to help, Peggy just walks in and remembering that some of the kids are very fond of her dog, she brings Winkie with her. Stephen is, unfortunately, not on of those kids.

He was hiding in my bedroom because he was afraid a bad guy would see him through the windows. Then he was afraid of the dog. Peggy called to let me know he was there safe, but he didn't come downstairs again. I had to coax him to say "hi". Then we need to visit and thank Peggy profusely before going back to trade vehicles back.

Oh, I almost forgot the store's brief stop. Stephen is well mannered enough to come with me. There was a darling old lady in line ahead of us who had fallen, or somehow gotten hurt and was bleeding from her leg. We gawked as we waited our turn to check out, and then traded the car and truck. Oh no! Now we are going to be late to get Dallas! Good thing we have a car pool and it's not our turn today! When we finally get home, down that one lane road again, they are in the driveway waiting for us. They said they had not been waiting very long, but still I always wish I were not late. We chat for a while about the benefits of baking soda taking odors out of things, and life's craziness in general while I wait for Dallas to change out of his school uniform and get ready to go.

By the time we get back to pick up the other kids from my sister, it's after 4PM. By time we get the kids diapered and into the truck, kicking and screaming again because they love cable which we don't have, then because they love snow, which we must not spend all day in, it's nearly dinner time. I check to see if darling hubby is ever leaving work. He already left me a message and is going to be home before me. Oh, what a day!

When we get home, I am surprised to see that Steve made dinner for us, actually chose something to make, found a recipe for, cooked, and fed us! As if that weren't enough to make my day, he also cleaned the kitchen afterwards! This really made my day because we had company coming in the morning and the dishes were the same ones that were there last time they were there. Do you ever have a day when you try to tidy and clean before company arrives and you find that same pile of laundry that was embarrassing you last week when company came? My sweet hubby to the rescue!

What a man/pure hearts of children

We are almost late to church today. We set the timer and actually started to leave soon after it went off. Steve opens the door and the kids start running. I am still getting my shoes on and we have one straggler that is still trying to nibble a lunch. I convince him to go out the door but then he realized he forgot his tithing! (the bible says 10% for tithes) I am impressed that he wants to pay so we go back but the door is locked, so we open the garage. He then announces he doesn't remember where he left it. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew is rounding the corner at the end of the street. Good thing we don't live far from the building!

I found some change in the truck and we are off on our way. As we near the church, I can see over a fence. What I see is one cute five year old and four absolutely darling three year olds in matching striped sweaters with a handsome, brave man opening the church door for them. What a turn on! I am the luckiest person on this planet to have such a man! We were on time too!

Sacrament meeting was great. The speakers talked about not having excessive holidays and living within our means/budgets. Something we all need to remember this year! They also spoke about having faith that the Lord will take care of our needs when we are choosing the right. I actually kind of got to listen this time. No kids being crazy, even Dallas was good!

Dallas paid his one penny to tithing and Stephen ended up with 13 cents. He owed 7 for tithing but had a hard time deciding what to do with the rest. The result: 7 cents to tithing one to a fast offering, one for building temples, one for the perpetual education fund (a load type set up for third world countries to pay back after they go to school. They get a loan. We give the $. They pay back the fund, not us.) one penny went to missionaries, and one towards …. I don't remember all of them but you get the idea. He was so sweet and cute. I am sure the bishop will get a good chuckle out of our kids pure hearts. 

Have a wonderful day!