Good Thing I Prayed

There is something glorious and wonderful about the seasons changing. The crispness comes to the air, the leaves begin to put on a magnificent show, and if you are one of my Arizona friends the unbearable heat begins to diminish.

And with the upcoming season change there is one more wondrous change; the sun rises later.

For those of us that have children that like to rise with the sun, this means another hour of peaceful blissful rest.

So yesterday when I woke up at 6:40 and all was quiet in the house I couldn't help but smile. As much as my bed tried to lure me back in to its soft embrace, this was a school day so I shuffled off to the bathroom to begin the day.

I did all my morning jobs and finished dressing while the kids continued to slumber. I went and knelt beside my bed and said my morning prayer, something I have unfortunately been neglecting lately.

As I finished praying, Lucas came into my room. We then began the bustle of getting ready. The morning was going smoothly, especially since I was already ready. Ryder woke up just in time so he could eat and get a new diaper. This was a great morning indeed.

Until we went to get in the car.

Lucas chose to put a kink in our pleasant morning by not letting Alex get in the car.

"Lucas, don't be rude-let your sister by." I said as Alex tried to wiggle over, under or around his legs.

"Lucas, let her by or there will be consequences."

All this time Alex is still fighting to get by while Lucas is screaming no among other things. Alex finally makes it by from sheer will and brute force.

"Okay, Lucas you need to apologize and buckle your sister now."

"NO!". He continues to stubbornly say.

In the end I buckled Alex and Lucas had more consequences for not listening. Needless to say he was in a foul mood.

"I am not going to school! I will not get out when we get there" he threatens. During our drive I remained calm and the tension seemed to defuse. Lucas began talking with me about the latest episode of How Do They Do It that he had watched. I was breathing a sigh of relief that this moment had passed.

We make it to the kindergarten gate. I put the van in park and push the button to open the door.

"I'm not getting out!" Lucas yells out.

"Fine!" I push the button to close the door and start driving, figuring I will park on the street and deal with this there so not to be that person in the carpool line.

"NO! I'll go!" he sobs.

I stop, put the van in park so the door can open again. He does get out this time after another minute of prompting. The cars are pulling around me zooming out of the line.

As soon as he is out, I hit the button and start driving away. Well I started driving a little too quickly the door did not close. I seriously contemplated just driving away with the door wide open, but figured that might be too dangerous; so I stopped for the third time, put the van in park and made sure the door closed this time.

I had officially become one of those parents. One of those parents that I mutter under my breath about wondering why it takes so darn long for their kids to get out of the car. Never again, never again will I mutter and complain. (Though I will still complain about the lady that cuts to the front of the line)

Luckily Alex's drop off went much more smoothly. I returned home, lifted Ryder from his car seat to feel something wet all over my arm. He had blown out of his diaper, through his shirt, through his pants all into his car seat.

It's a good thing I said my morning prayers... otherwise I don't think I would have survived that day.