It Really is Like Herding Cats....

So today was not such a great day around here. Nothing really terrible happened, but there seemed to be a lot of me pushing the kids in the direction I wanted them to go. Not ACTUAL pushing....I guess like 'verbal prodding'. Nagging- OK- it was nagging. I don't know what language I was speaking today, but it wasn't the one my kids understood. I felt like the teacher in all the Charlie Brown cartoons. So between that and the fact that yesterday had been soooo good, it sadly didn't take much for me to start feeling down. And I just kept sliding down down down, til I became a sad heap.

I really should know better. I know those stupid thoughts and where they lead. But today I didn't fight them; I rode the wave of self pity like a pro. My brain was a vortex of thoughts like "No one cares that you give up so much to stay home. No one cares that you knock yourself out. Look at you- you're a stay at home mom cliche. Gross. Is that peanut butter and boogers on your jeans? I bet Gabe doesn't appreciate what you do. The kids don't. Look at the house- it's a mess. What do you do all day? Get fatter? Older? Yell at the kids? You're doing more harm to them than good."

I post those thoughts for a couple of reasons. Not so that anyone feels bad for me or tries to make me feel better....I post them because I have learned that if I am feeling a certain way, chances are I have at least one friend/aquaintance that feels the same. And by getting them out there in the open, the lies loose their power. Satan looses power.

And as I was crying and trying to make pancakes for dinner, something happened. I heard Hadley in the playroom recite a verse I taught her a couple of weeks ago. She was loud and clear and said it perfectly. My head cleared and I saw the ugly thoughts for what they were....Lies. Stupid lies I fall for almost every time.

Her sweet voice put everything into perspective. That is why I do what I do, day after day, meaningless task after meaningless task. I do (or should be doing) everything to the glory of God. (I Cor 10:31) If I am doing what God calls me to do, I cannot swim in self pity or drown in despair. He will give me grace to handle today, and tomorrow will give me the grace to handle tomorrow.

So tomorrow, I will start over. Thankfully, it's a new day with new chances.

Lamentations 3:22-23 

  Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.

OMGOSH PANTS!

I have a daughter who has issues with pants. Well, waist bands in general. And she's not a big fan of long sleeved shirts. But those are less of a fight than pants. And forget about a 3/4 sleeve shirt. It will make her insane. That I understand.

So back to pants.....

I have no idea what her standard for pants are. Last winter it seemed to be that as long as it didn't zip or button, we were fine. Then suddenly, the rules changed, but no one told me. I was just left with a 4 year old who would scream about her pants not fitting, and then would throw out random words like tight and loose, but about the same pair. I don't think she knew what she was saying, only hoping in her hysteria that those words would some how get me to agree to nakedness from the waist down. It didn't. (BTW, her undies are never an issue. I'm not sure why, but I am grateful.)

So last March and April she mostly wore a pair of 'yoga' pants. Then summer came, and we had the same problem with shorts. I was at least able to get a few pairs of shorts that she liked and didn't have a problem with, and then since it was summer, we had the whole sundress option.

Now we are back to fall, and heaven help me. There are no jeans she likes. I have 2 pairs of capris that she seems OK with. But pretty soon it's going to be cold, and she will have to suck it up and wear the jeans. Or maybe, the heavens will open and there will appear in my home a pair of pants...pants that she likes and meet whatever random criteria she has for pants. I can only hope. Meantime, I dread picking out her clothes with her (or for her) because I know there will be an issue if one of the Magic Pants aren't clean.

Oh, and the kicker on the pants is that this fall, she HATES the yoga pants. What. The. Heck. Seriously? Am I on Candid Camera or what ever the equivalent is now?!?!?

The need for Magic Pants also extends to pajama bottoms. She can only sleep in the shirt part. The pants end up on the floor. This is not a battle I am willing to fight. It's night and hopefully she will stay under the covers. Night gowns are good. I got 2 at a rummage sale JUST in the nick of time. Footie pajamas are hit or miss. As in, one night the pink ones will be OK and the next night the pink ones are "wicked". (In her words "wicked" is the worst thing a person or thing can be called. Today I got a triple (!) wicked after not letting her eat M&Ms before lunch.)

I guess all I can do is pray WalMart puts out their children's collection of sweatsuits. Soon. And that the weather cools off. Soon. And then pray that spring doesn't arrive until my daughter is 20 and on her own and can buy her own pairs of Magic Pants to wear in her Magic House where she can eat M&Ms before lunch if she wants to! Because by then I will be either in a loony bin or on a beach somewhere and I won't care.

But then, Wicked Mommies always care.......