Welcome to the Big Top
It's been a while since I've been to the circus, but it is often that I feel I'm part of it. The entire month of February Tim had to lector at church, so I was by myself with the kids. Part of February Joe wasn't here, so there were only six sitting with me. This is not as hard as it used to be, in fact, it may be easier just because the older kids are helpful, and at least quiet and still. One year of age tends to be the beginning of the difficult church age of a child I think. They're squirmy and don't understand sitting still or being quiet. The older children still want to help with her and they don't understand that if she doesn't want to be held by mom, she really doesn't want to be held by anyone else. Today all nine of us sat down together.
Most Sundays, the kids are pretty well behaved. We definitely still have those days where 1 hour seems more like 3 and that our family is the main attraction. Today was one of those days. If I'm sore when I wake up in the morning, I must remind myself that at today's circus, my role was human jungle gym. You're not supposed to break a sweat at church! It is these days that not only do the little kids seem like monkeys, but the older ones are mules, and by that I mean that they are stubborn: not wanting any smaller person to squeeze in between them and whoever they are sitting beside for no real reason. It felt as if we were playing musical people. I'm sure it must be hard to focus on praying for the people sitting behind us. I diligently try not to make it appear that my blood pressure is beginning to soar. At any given point I felt like I had one in my arms, one ON my arms and one trying to push one out and take her place as another was holding down his spot next to me while another tried just as hard to obtain said spot! When a one year old decides that she doesn't want to be held close, it is as if she acquires super human strength and virtually leaps out of the arms that hold her by arching her head back to her heals, pushing with her hands and feet when the arching fails to break free, wriggling and writhing causing loss of balance...and then to make sure that the commotion becomes as noticeable as possible, another child crawls on hands and knees behind everyone else to relocate...twice!
Phewww! No "you have a beautiful family" comments today! I believe we were probably getting the "my she has her hands full" thoughts. But then again, most everyone surrounding us was either in the same boat or had been years before and probably relabled the chaos beauty anyway.
Upon leaving church, we proceeded to the nearest pancake house for breakfast which is something that we haven't done for quite some time. There, our circus fizzled out and we became just a family again. Thank goodness! :)
Most Sundays, the kids are pretty well behaved. We definitely still have those days where 1 hour seems more like 3 and that our family is the main attraction. Today was one of those days. If I'm sore when I wake up in the morning, I must remind myself that at today's circus, my role was human jungle gym. You're not supposed to break a sweat at church! It is these days that not only do the little kids seem like monkeys, but the older ones are mules, and by that I mean that they are stubborn: not wanting any smaller person to squeeze in between them and whoever they are sitting beside for no real reason. It felt as if we were playing musical people. I'm sure it must be hard to focus on praying for the people sitting behind us. I diligently try not to make it appear that my blood pressure is beginning to soar. At any given point I felt like I had one in my arms, one ON my arms and one trying to push one out and take her place as another was holding down his spot next to me while another tried just as hard to obtain said spot! When a one year old decides that she doesn't want to be held close, it is as if she acquires super human strength and virtually leaps out of the arms that hold her by arching her head back to her heals, pushing with her hands and feet when the arching fails to break free, wriggling and writhing causing loss of balance...and then to make sure that the commotion becomes as noticeable as possible, another child crawls on hands and knees behind everyone else to relocate...twice!
Phewww! No "you have a beautiful family" comments today! I believe we were probably getting the "my she has her hands full" thoughts. But then again, most everyone surrounding us was either in the same boat or had been years before and probably relabled the chaos beauty anyway.
Upon leaving church, we proceeded to the nearest pancake house for breakfast which is something that we haven't done for quite some time. There, our circus fizzled out and we became just a family again. Thank goodness! :)
