Um, Do They Make Calgon Anymore? I Could Use Some.

Ok, so I'm totally having one of "those" days. First of all, I should mention that Daddy is gone for the week at youth camp (back off creepy web stalkers - my parents are in town and staying with me...and my dad's way bigger than Shane). When Daddy's gone, things are, well, stressful to say the least. It's possible that it's just because I have to do all the feeding/dressing/putting to bed/cleaning/cat care all by myself (or at least without the "Listen to your mother" verbal backup). But it might also have something to do with Little Man's incessant need to argue with me while the "alpha male" of the house is absent. You think I'm kidding.

Today on the way into Wal-Mart, he was holding my hand and walking along rather nicely. Then I had to open my big mouth and make a silly little comment like "Alright! Let's walk in there and get what we need!" I'm not even kidding you - he stopped moving his feet and became a dead weight. Just because I said the word "walk".

Would we have had any problems if I hadn't said anything at all? No way! But the minute he realized that I had just verbally admitted to wanting him to walk, he quit. Yep, that's awesome Little Man. You're hilarious.

And that's the way it's been all week. Forget "reverse psychology" by the way - he's totally too smart for that. Trust me, I've tried.

Today the defiance really got to me, though, because it happened to be one of "those" days. If you are a female and alive and breathing at all I'm sure you know the kind of day I'm talking about:

The kids were driving me so far beyond nuts I thought about putting myself up for adoption.

My hair had "perma-bubble" in the back from all those summer ponytails I've been sporting lately, and I couldn't do a dadgum thing with it (except, of course, revert to yet another ponytail).

The lamp I saw on clearance yesterday at Hobby Lobby and thought about all night was gone when I got back today. I totally knew that would happen.

I used the wrong credit card at Wal-Mart - not a big deal, but definitely not my preference.

All that and then while in Wal-Mart with a buggy full of groceries, my tired mother and two unruly children, the bottom fell out of the sky and it started raining at a rate that would have made Noah nervous. Not a problem except that WE LEFT THE CAR WINDOWS OPEN. Bonus. I think I seriously could have qualified for the Olympics with the speed that I ran through the flooded parking lot, and yet by the time I got there the car seats were pooled and I was absolutely drenched.

Then I had to go inside and add two towels, a new shirt and a pair of flip flops (which I later discovered are really, really too big and insanely uncomfortable) to the ever growing mound of birthday party groceries in our cart. I'm not sure my Asics will ever dry before I turn 40...

So, yeah. That's been my day. But it has gotten a little better. Daddy called and talked to the boys. They've been a little nicer - now their attention is focused on tormenting the cat. Too bad for her, but I'm kind of enjoying the break.

Anyway - I'm looking forward to tonight after all the little people in the house have gone to bed, when I can sink into a really hot bath and just spend some time with Jesus. Not that I haven't spent any time with Him today - we've definitely had some words - but I mean, like nice time. Quiet time. Maybe time involving some form of chocolate....mmmm, chocolate....
I can't wait. But please, please, please - don't tell Little Man, ok?