A Quiet Momment

Finding a quiet moment now is a bit rare.  Who knew at my age, I’d be so excited for nap time once again!  Having a toddler on the farm is equally exhausting and amusing.  Farm tantrum…watch out for the chicken poop.Mr. T loves balls and has not yet learned that much of what lies on the ground here should not be thrown…rocks and  horse poop are at the top of the list.

My Girl and Number Two Son have stepped up to this challenge.  Offering aid, amusement and a sympathetic ear.  Being in charge of a toddler is an incredible life lesson and neither big kid has any plans now to become a parent for a very long time.  Number Two Son was woken up bright and early on Saturday morning, a 2-year-old dumped on his bed, the cause…the cows were out!  Z went on her first cow wrangle as Our Friend the Farmer, My Loving Spouse and the State Patrol lent their hands.  This was the first time I cried…completely overwhelmed…emotional tank on empty.

We’ve done the hard work to apply a bed time to a little boy who has never had one.  We’ve been consistent.  His anger at being put to bed and his screaming bouts have gone from 70 minutes, to 40 minutes, to 20 minutes, to 8 minutes, to half a holler.  We have a happy boy each morning.

We read and play and talk to this little man a LOT!  In a week, his vocabulary goes from 15 words to 45 and he is talking in sentences…actually, ordering us about in sentences, but for a severely language delayed child, we rejoice.  He recognizes in us the people who read to him and he hollers,

“Read a book!!!”, when trying to convince us not to put him to bed.

Our other favorite sentence is,

“See da puppies!”This morning he learns the word…’please’.

I fall in love with My Loving Spouse even more when he lets me sip coffee and handles the first diaper of the day, then Mr. T is deposited to me for a snuggle, waking up, juice and reading a book.

We try to cram a lot of life’s best lessons into a very short time.  Z earns her own money by working, helping to mow the lawns.  It was my understanding that Z was a staunch Lutheran, and our sweet church is Presbyterian.   I looked up the difference and was prepared to have a deep theological discussion, so that she could be comfortable in our church.  Z looked at me and said,

“If you want to take me to church, I really don’t care.  I’ll just color.  When I go to church I usually just do this…”  She then gave the slack-jawed, blank eyed expression of one who tunes out completely.

“Okay, I said.  “We’re going to church, bring your coloring book.  Oh, and the good thing about Presbyterians is that they almost always have cookies.”

So, we went to church and that is where the tears really came again.  It is always hard for me to hide how overwhelmed I am in church.  If you have a ‘need’, you cannot be in a better place than our sweet church.  Toddler books and cars are dropped off, with phone numbers and dates that babysitting can be done.  People offer to make us dinner and then say, “What is your name?”.  My Loving Spouse’s work takes him away for many dinners, so this is a blessing beyond belief.  My friend who knows me best might/maybe even have dropped off a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine!

On the one hand, we keep moving through the days, the laundry is never done, the house is dirtier than usual, someone poops his diapers more than any other toddler on the face of the earth and I’ve changed them all, this is when My Loving Spouse falls in love with me even more.  Mr. T’s pajamas pick up lots of dog hair & dust, I just wish he’d get into the corners more often.

When bored Z ‘plays’ the piano, so this house is seldom quiet.  The adults who live here are doing their best…with love…tag teaming…encouragement of one another and love for what each is willing and trying to do in a situation we were not really prepared for…and when just trying our best is truly enough.

I know we are blessed…exhausted and overwhelmed, but blessed.