I have just a moment to write a quick recap of the funny that is our lives. So here I go...
Today I had Brooke, so with all three kids in tow I headed to the library to pick up some books I had on hold. After the library we headed to the park to meet Esther and kids. Now I was running a few minutes early, yes you read that right and no I have no idea how I managed that, so I decided to make a right out of the library parking lot to see if I could find a different, faster route to the park. And that I did. I was very pleased with myself and arrived to the park early too!
So I had almost everything unloaded (it's quite a comical mess of stuff that comes with us when we head to the park, especially on days like today when we were going to eat lunch there) when Esther and her two cuties pulled up. This is when the crazy really started. Olivia was on the verge of a nice morning nap but was needing a little extra help so I was holding Brooke in my arms, while I rocked the stroller back and forth to calm Olivia. Lauren was reading her Thomas book in the front seat of the double stroller. I was standing in the parking lot running my mouth with Esther while she unpacked her kiddos. She was only half way done when the first bee showed up. He was buzzing around my water bottle. I was not excited to see him and, while trying not to panic, I quickly walked away to see if that would send him on his merry way. Well it didn't. It's hard enough to push the double stroller with two kids in it when you have two hands on the handle, but I'm freaking out with one kid on my hip and only one hand for the stroller. At this point I had quickly given up on trying not to panic and I'm pretty much standing in the middle of the parking lot dancing to try and get the bee to go away, who is now swarming me.
Esther watching this wonderful sight tells me to put Brooke down and she'd come get her. So I listened as I keep one keen eye on Mr. Bee. He leaves my side only to head back to the stroller. OH. NO. YOU. DON'T. buster- so I swoop in and grab the stoller- thankfully now with two hands and rush it out of the way. Then he's back flying around me- so I find myself dancing like a fool trying to get him away again. It was one for America's Funniest Home Videos. I think I had the winner and Esther will verify it. Finally we lose the bee and the man in the car watching this whole show was rolling his eyes I'm sure.
So all kids ready to go and Mr. Bee is now gone off to bother someone else. Now we're ready to play, or so we thought. We make our way over to the playground and I notice how nice a desolate it is. Oh how I love it when we're the only ones at the park- it makes it so much more fun for me since I have two kids running off in two different directions and I'm trying to push the stroller around and keep my head on straight.
Well we start playing and it isn't even ten minutes and Mr. Bee and his friends are back. That's right he brought his friends to partake in the fun too. Are you kidding me!? This was a bit much. We attempted to go to the nature center at this park, but no luck since it didn't open for another hours. I looked at Esther and I said- hey lets hit the road this is crazy, and she agrees 100%. So we head back to the cars and as we approach I notice my car is being swarmed by at least four bees. Great, how am I going to get the kids in the car and myself and the stuff without letting a bee in or getting stung?!?!
Well this is another one for the video archives. I pretty much open the back hatch- toss Brooke in, close the hatch fast. Open Olivia's door, toss her in and close the door. Open Lauren's door, toss her in and close the door. Open the passenger door toss my arm full of stuff in and close the door. I put my stroller in Esther's van- since for whatever reason there didn't seem to be as many bees around her and then jump into the car myself. I then proceed to climb all over the place inside the car to buckle everyone into the car seats, praising God for not allowing any bee in the car and no one getting stung.
So the fun doesn't end there. Esther pulls out of the parking lot first as we head back to my house to enjoy playing in my 'bee free' backyard and eat in my 'bee free' house. When she leaves the park she heads towards the highway like she's going to her home, so I drive fast to get ahead of her so she doesn't take us out of our way. Well the way she took us, I quickly realized, lead us right to my new, fast, awesome route past the library. Excitedly I get in front of her and lead her down the first road. While I'm driving on it I suddenly realize that I can't remember the name of the road I need to turn onto. Mind you we're in a housing, subdivision area so there are lots of small roads so I was easily confused and got us going all over the place.
I tell you I just started laughing. I didn't know what else to do. I had no idea how to get us out of this subdivision and the whole excursion of heading to the park had been one big trip to the goofy house. Lauren in the back seat kept saying "Mommy, what you laughing for?" and I just kept replying I'm laughing at all the crazy, mommy doesn't know what else to do so I'm laughing.
After many wrong turns and one uey, we finally made it to a road I recognized, which wasn't far from where we had intended on going. So all was well. We got to our house, enjoyed a few minutes of fun outside before the lunch bus started, then it was a few minutes more of play and time to say goodbye to our friends and start the nap routine.
It was a crazy afternoon and oh if they had a video camera pointed at me today it might have been worth a watch...well at least for the parking lot scene.
Amen for a sense of humor and for perspective on what really matters, that we all arrived back home, safe, sound and in one piece.
"She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come." Proverbs 31:25
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