A Dog Day

Today was a good day. A little busy, but good. It ended with playing games with some good friends and relaxing. But before that could happen, we had a little dose of crazy.

This morning began with Micah and Judah actually getting up on time. Aslynn was dead to the world, but we got her going. (I'd say the same about Faith, but she got up of her own volition). While the porridge was cooking, I went downstairs and pulled out the roast we forgot to thaw last night and tossed it into the microwave. I also enforced a talking ban at the breakfast table since the kids have historically been so awful to each other with stares, glares, and verbal bouts of rage - Judah is the only real morning person in our family, and having sunshine like that in the morning is like getting hit in the eyes with a spotlight in the darkest of night. Intolerable. Headache-giving. Whatever. Lunches were packed, teeth brushed, hair combed, faces and hands washed, and everything was gathered together just in time to leave.

As soon as we left, Faith went shopping with Judah. Very quickly, I might add. She had a 10:00 appointment at the church. She had her weekly shopping plus a meal for the highway clean-up I'm organizing this weekend plus underwear and tights that Judah cried over not getting. She rushed to the church to meet with Pastor Bill to talk about bridal and baby showers (of which she is now heading up the shower committee) while Judah "helped" me clean my office. And then I built him a train track in the nursery. Faith and Judah made it back home only minutes before she had to babysit our neighbours' son because she was starting a new job.

At this point the crazy paused for a few moments. Naps happen. 

Faith picked up the kids from school, they fawned all over the budding toddler, and then I came home. We cut and fried french fries, pulled the tender roast apart, thawed Monday-baked buns, and - cleaned. We had company coming for 6:00, but they didn't all arrive immediately. When they did, I noticed our nieighbours' dog out of the yard and ran over to inform her. And then I chased the dog around the back alley, ran around the block to the front, through our yard, back out again, into the church yard, back through the alley, and then doubled back around the other end of the alley. I came back to the front yard after going the long way around to find the dog had made it's way into our yard and one of our guests brought it back to our neighbour. I was tuckered out. 

And then we sat down to supper with some very loud children who had their excitement level shoot through the roof with playing with a baby, our guests' arrival, jumping on the trampoline with them, watching Daddy chase the dog around the neighbourhood. By the time supper was on the table, we could hardly contain them. And soon after supper and dessert were done, the younger two headed to bed with Micah following shortly after. THEN we could play some games and relax with a little bit of good music and a few laughs.

- Mark

PS: Have you ever played The Farming Game and won because of HAY? One roll worth $72,000 on the second round secured the game. How insane. I guess it pays to invest when you get a double-double and then land on a double and roll a six...