Confiscated Toys and Belligerent Grills

Today started out with so much promise and ended up with the grill flat on its back in a mud puddle in the back yard. All us military spouses know that if something can go wrong while our spouses are gone, it will. I actually feel like while some challenges come up I usually dodge the big bullets. No hot water heaters have exploded, no ER visits, no major plumbing issues, etc... (as of yet, hope I haven't spoken to soon) This underway has really been throwing some punches though. This morning began with my heart melting as I watched Aiden and Emma water their flower seeds and ended up with my confiscating 3/4ths of their toys. What precipitated all this was Aiden tearing a page in a book because he "needed some paper" and what he wrote on that paper was "you are dum" and put it on his door when he was mad at me. While what he wrote didn't really upset me all that much his disrespect for his belongings and his sense of entitlement just really got under my skin. You would think me packing up toys would get their attention but they continued to bicker and fight nearly until bed time.

My heart feels so sad because I know they are not entirely at fault. I have indulged them and I'm not always the best at follow through. They know I can't hop up and discipline while I'm nursing the baby but all that aside what I am going for is simple obedience (not so simple though is it???). I just want them to listen to me when I give them an instruction, not ask me why and then do it when they darn well please. I guess it all goes back to free will, Adam and Eve had it all, they got to VISIT face to face with God and they made a choice to disobey. This is where my knees need to be hitting the floor for my kids, that they will know Jesus and that he will work on their hearts even at a young age. My challenge for now is to make simple rules and follow through with them.

After all of this I was working on sorting out the toys to chunk in the closet and I took a moment to take Daisy out. Imagine my surprise when our LARGE gas grill was on it's back in the yard having been blown off the patio. The wheels hadn't been locked and we some very strong winds (duh) come through. With the use of a shovel handle for leverage I managed to get it up on the concrete again and then I channeled all my frustration from the day and hoisted it back upright. I guess Aiden was serious when he said he'd heard a loud crashing sound after I'd put him in bed. I told him it was just the wind and to go back to sleep.

Even with everything this day threw at me I feel like I can get up tomorrow and face my day. I can keep going with a plan to teach my kids and mentor them in the way they should go. I don't feel miserable or hopeless, I recognize there are so many things that I am thankful for. While it wasn't fun to wrestle the grill back into its proper place in the rain, I am thankful that God watered my garden for me today.