Tuesday, March 4, 2014

What's all the commotion?

What is all the excitement about?  A new baby?  Not near as exciting as a new baby, but a level of childhood enchantment was surely felt as they discovered an old cash register I had purchased to give to somebody for a birthday.  I never seem to be able to hide my treasures well. The squealing was equal to a bunch of teenage girls seeing One Direction live in concert.  The promises made were unparalleled as the joy was intense.  "Mom, we will never ask to watch another movie again!"  "You're the best mom in the world!!!"  Wow.  I should have revealed the cash register years ago.  I always wanted to work at a grocery store just so I could push the buttons and scan items.  I was counting down the days when I was young to when I was finally able to scan and beep at Bogaarts Grocery store in Beloit, Kansas. Sadly, the store is resting in peace.  I have found myself a couple times sitting at the cash register pretending to ring up imaginary customers.  My life would be complete if I could find one of those rubber key covers that protected the keys.  That is a whole new ball game.  Our local Chinese eatery has one and I once secretly reached over the counter and pushed a button when the nice worker retrieved my take out from the back.  It was fun.  Why was I nervous?  #idiot #thatwasjustlastyear

You know what else is cool?  It seems so mysterious how the the manager of a store waltzes forward with the KEY and punches in the CODE when you are returning items.  The key is always gingerly strung up on their bicep by one of those curly, rubber expanding things.   We have "The Manager's Key" also.  Special times.  #whodidIbuythisforanyway? #canyouhashtagonablog?
By the grace of God, I don't usually have a difficult time seeing the beauty in the mundane of my daily life.  I love where I am at.  I love teaching, feeding, reading, and just being with them.  I mostly enjoy just watching them grow.  I know our time together is not long so I really settle my heart with contentment knowing that this is our season to just be together.

So, it was odd for me to wake up today restless.  Upon opening my eyes, I wanted to do a million things today and most of them didn't pertain to our children.   I wanted to paint bedrooms.  I wanted to go shopping. I wanted to clean and have the house stay clean longer than one minute.  I wanted to organize.  I wanted to go thrift store shopping.  I wanted to exercise.  I wanted to go out to eat.  I wanted to meet John for lunch just the two of us.  I wanted to drive to Beloit to see my mother for the day. I didn't want to teach.  I didn't want to feed anybody today.   I didn't want to answer 1.3 million questions.

It really had nothing to do with the kids.  They greeted me cheerfully this morning wanting to know all the details of my bible study.  This was definitely a case of "It is not you.  It is ME."  The problem was me.   John called in the morning and asked how all was going.  I told him about my restless heart.  He reminded me that some days we just have to endure them and make it to the end. It is funny now that everyone is in bed how funny the morning was.  The restless feelings passed quickly and we had a great day together celebrating our Vianney's 5th birthday tonight.  Her birthday is tomorrow, but because it is Ash Wednesday we celebrated tonight.  I wonder what all that restless desire was about?  Why did I wake up with all those desires?  Paint bedrooms in the middle of the winter?

It is always good to remember that all things do pass and how important it is not to react to our fleeting emotions. We have an extra full calendar this week.  I know it was my attempt to not want to face any of the challenges of the week.  Procrastination by distraction.




11 comments :

  1. Wow I was totally feeling that restlessness today too! I appreciate your honesty and reminder to push through fleeting emotions. And that cash register looks so cool, what a perfect gift!

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  2. I always wanted to work in a grocery store as well! I enjoy going to the check yourself out aisle at the store and I enjoy letting my kids help because, how neat would that have been when I was growing up! I will have to keep my eyes open for a cash register as well! Thanks for your honesty as well. I marvel at how you just enjoy all your children and really "seeing them."

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  3. Oh gosh, so many childhood memories flooding back. My Papa used to be the local post master and kept his old *wooden* register when he retried. It was my very favorite game, opening the drawer making the bell go *ting*, handing out change.

    I think it I'd had an electric one I'd have been the most popular kid in the township. I'd also probably have tried to "sell" everything in the house...

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  4. How funny! When I was little, I used to play cashier with a calculator. I had such fun in highschool when I finally got to use a real one :)

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  5. #hashtaggingisfun #andtotallyacceptableonblogs
    Thank you for sharing from your heart. It must be in the air. I am 13 weeks pregnant and feeling the same way, I thought it was spring fever/second trimester hitting energy and restlessness.
    I've totally been going through and purging each room in hopes to attacking with paint once it rises about 20 degrees out there. ;)

    Prayers for a super Lent for you all!

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  6. You're the coolest. Now I'm on a hunt for a real cash register at a thrift store! :) Loved our talk last week.

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  7. I wish you were my neighbor! :)

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  8. I really needed this today! Even though it is Ash Wednesday, my only thought is "I really need to get away from these kids and go DO something". It has nothing to do with the kids, it is all just me.

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  9. I`ve learnt, thru your postings, to just enjoy watch them grow. Sometimes I just dont feel like talking, teaching, answering, or whatever. But i dont wanna leave, i just want them nearby, playing, disorganizing, having fun together. so i learnt to appreciate letting them just grow. thinking that my 5 yo will be off to college in 12-13 years from now... wow, thats just too little time to waste doing thinks like painting the bedrooms! :-)

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  10. I must have had the same thing today. I got both babies down for a nap at the same time, and instead of sleeping too, I wanted to (and did) clean the fridge! crazy.. You kids look like they are having a great time!

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