Just do your best

A few Saturdays ago I had an appointment with my church Bishop (tithing settlement). It fell on the same day as my husband's first university exam but I decided to keep the appointment rather then try and arrange another time. I also felt that this was another great opportunity for my young sons to see Mummy devoted to Christ and his gospel. Like most outings where I take my 3, 2 and 1 years old out on my own, its quite an effort.

Hubby had gone to Uni early to get in some more cramming, so I was on my own to get everyone ready and present in time for our 9:45am appointment. You'd think that any appointment after 9 would be pretty easy to get to, but I can't explain WHY it takes so long to get everyone ready and out the door looking presentable. Well that day I got everyone there safely but some of us were not as presentable as I would have liked.

Not being a very good early riser, I again didn't make the effort to rise before everyone else to have my shower. So after giving everyone their breakfast I put ABC kids on the t.v. for Monkey and Moo Moo. Then I jumped in the shower with Bunny and look down at my legs. Aaggh they are hairy but there is no time! What's most annoying is that my life is so focussed around caring for others that I forget to even check the status of my own legs. It's unbelieveble how it seems that without my noticing I suddenly have cactuses where my legs used to be. I consider wearing pants, but I want to set a good example, so its a skirt for me and I resolve to tuck my legs under the chair when I sit. After Bunny and I are dressed, I go get the rest of my things ready.

I wanted to head to my in-laws after the appointment so that I would have help and company while Hubby is in his exam. This meant packing up a whole bunch of stuff that we would need to survive the day. You know the usual stuff - extra food, bottles, clothing, and nappies. I grab a laundry basket and chuck everything in it because my nappy bag wont hold it all.

In the mean time Bunny is playing in the food pantry and is pulling out packets of pasta and giving them to his brothers (who needs toys when pasta provides entertainment). Moo Moo then decides that he wants me to make pasta. I tell him that he can bring his pasta and I will cook it at Nana's house for lunch. Monkey wants to ride his trike (the little 3 wheel plastic kind) so I tell him that they can ride their trikes at the chapel after we see Bishop. Time had run out and the older boys are still in their PJs and slippers. So I grab their day clothes and shoes and throw them in the laundry basket for later. Moo Moo looks the cutest in his converted dressing gown (which is actually one of those sleeping bag outfits I cut off at the bottom, waste not want not). He is still carrying his pasta and in fact carries that pasta for the next hour as the boys run up and down the empty church hall ways until its our turn to see Bishop. Others who are waiting to see Bishop are laughing at my PJ wearing, pasta weilding sons running all over the place. A while ago I would have been embarressed that I didn't have my children looking presentable but I'm learning to go with the flow and just try my best.

Once in the interview I'm trying to convince the boys to sit down and stop touching certain things. Bishop, looking for a teaching moment, asks them do they know why they are there? They look back at him blankly because all they want is to get a hold of the whiteboard markers and make their mark. I then have a nice chat with Bishop and start to feel good about my efforts to get there. However the appoinment is called short with Moo Moo announcing he needs to go to the toilet. Bishops asks if we can say a prayer together but I know Moo Moo can't wait and dash to the toilet leaving the other boys with Bishop. After its all over I take the boys outside to ride their trikes. I take the opportunity to ring a friend of mine and let them ride on the pathways. This lasts for a good while until Monkey and Moo Moo decide to ride IN the garden and put bark and dirt all over the paths. Aaaggh! I try and sweep the mess off the path back into the garden beds using my shoe with little success. Feeling guilty that the path will look messy for the Sabbath day tomorrow, I realise its best to leave for Nana's and cook that pasta like I promised.