No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Kids are so funny. They have played Scary Monsters, ran around the house playing laser tag, now they've calmed down, and Clay is reading "Oh Yikes! History's Grossest, Wackiest Moments", and Mary Claire was playing doctor with Ethan. In just the time it took to type this much, she examined him, gave him a pretend shot, and he began to cry Seriously Loudly. Then when he got a tinker toy lollipop, he tripped, dropped it, and now wants it washed. Heehee (and then she really washed it in the sink) They are creative, and I'm never bored-you will never hear those words slip through my lips.

Today was chaos at church. I always hope for it to be a nice, relaxing time with God, you know, an opportunity to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to recharge for my week. But, then we don't go alone, so I set my expectations way too high! The kids were at PRE (like Sunday School), and the north parking lot was so full (and there's no outlet!), so Ches dropped me and Ethan off at the front doors. We wriggled like salmon upstream to get to Mary Claire, then had coats, purses, backpack, folder, and beautifully decorated cross (which seriously hampered my Holy-Spirit-filling later), and had to go outside to another building to get Clay. And so it began.

His classroom was AGAIN dark and empty. It is now 10:18, and the kids get out at 10:15. Earlier in the year, they would make us wait in the hall (and we're Catholic and everyone has other kids with them in line), like sardines packed in between other parents coming and going, and moving in and out of the way so they could go out the exit door of the building-pure purgatory, in advance. Anyway, my point being, that I learned to get Mary Claire first to avoid the hallway hubbub. Well, now they are gone! This is the second time it's happened. The first time I freaked out, looked ALL over the church (bathrooms, nursery, gift shop, vestibule, up in the pews by Ches, Cry Room, etc.), and found him down in another PRE hallway (far from where he was supposed to be in his other building)! So, I found him more quickly this time, but I complained. I try to be nice, especially since it's *church*, but it's crazy! He should be where I left him, especially since we have high security, and I have to "sign" him out. The director told me the teachers go to 10:30 Mass, and they didn't want to be late. I said that I was going to be late now after trekking all over campus looking for my son! I asked if he could be in a consistent place each week so I could come right to him, but she said no. (??) She said they get out at 10:15, then they bring the extra kids to Faith Hall, in the main building. I said I had two kids to pick up, and one of them can't be picked up at exactly 10:15, so one will be a couple minutes later. Long story, but it was aggravating.

So, then the glitter. We got into church, and our journey had been all about preserving the glittery cross. We dropped Ethan at the nursery, and the cross survived the clinging child (yes, he asked to go in there), the coat-rubbings, the crowds of people, etc. When we got to the pew, I hung it around a hymnal in the book rack of the pew in front of us. It kinda got in the way when we were kneeling, but there was no better spot (it was wet and glittery after all). Well, the next time we stood up, Mary Claire didn't like her legs touching it, so she laid it on the pew. You know what happened from there. Then it was all over her dress, and she turned the dress all around to the front to check out the wet purple glitter (and gave everyone a nice view of her tights). She sat on her coat to protect the pew, but then the glitter started to dry (and harden) and bugged her, so she picked at it. She raised her hands up high (so everyone could see the beauty), and began to pick at her hands, making glitter fall down like snow. I lowered her hands, and she pulled on the glue to make stretchy-like wads between them. Then they got crusty, and she kept playing. Then she whined, wanted her dress washed, wanted to go get a drink, her throat hurt, needed to go to the bathroom, and it continued. I kept telling her to be quiet and asked if her teacher told her to be quiet all the time. She said no, and I silently thought to myself what a saint she is. The teacher, not Mary Claire, btw. It continued until the end, and it was hard. I hate it when I can't focus, it's just not the same experience. I know God knows I was trying.

I tried something new today: I let Clay go get Ethan from the nursery. It was nice! I usually talk to people all the way there, and he's the last one to leave (which makes me feel guilty). Today, we got to leave pretty quickly, and Ethan fought us all the way to the car. He wanted to go the opposite way of the van! I tried to stop, kneel down to his height, and ask where he was going, but he could just tell me, "That Way!" toward the moving cars and other parking lot. Yep, a crazy morning. I am still glad we went, but sometimes we have to adjust our expectations. I totally didn't expect a missing child and sticky purple glitter.

Hopefully if you were at church with me, you were so busy, that you didn't notice my glittery, talky experience. I hope you were filled with the Holy Spirit (maybe even enough not to judge our family?). heehee