{P.H.F.R} Disorderly

I am linking up for Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real but you aren't getting 'em in that order.  'Kay?  Kay.  There is just no way PRETTY could come first this week. 

This week has been a whopper.  I mean, the WORST possible week I have had in.....probably ever.

Let me tell you about Monday and you will see what I mean.

Monday I had some SERIOUS grocery shopping to do.  It had been WEEKS since I went for a REAL trip and since Easter is this Sunday and it was in the works for ME to HOST this year, I had some real shopping ahead of me.  I got the brilliant idea, that instead of going to my usual haunts, I would go to surprise my husband at work for lunch and then do the shopping afterward in that town...it had all the places I needed to go anyway.  So, I excitedly drove the hour trip (instead of the 35 minute trip) and happily anticipated surprising him.

Only- about 10 minutes from my arrival the car started acting funky.  I don't have a cellphone, one of the last remaining few- so my only option was to keep chugging along.  Five minute before my arrival, I was having a hard time steering it.  Then, at the light at the busy intersection two minutes before my arrival- the car wouldn't BRAKE.  I slowed enough by pumping the brakes and gliding slowly halfway through the intersection to stop before it was too late and we were all killed.  I finally made it to his work and barely got myself into a parking spot in the super-full parking lot (naturally) though without any good steering capabilities.  Turned off the car and buckets of smoke poured out of the front tire.

So much for a happy surprise.  He was happy to see me- for the minute of ignorant bliss that he didn't know what was happening.

Instead of enjoying one anothers' company during a peaceful and happy lunch break, we had to lurch our way into an auto place and pray that there was something that could be done.  They said, they could work on it but didn't know WHEN so we would have to leave the car all afternoon.  Would we?  Well, since we have no other option.

Matt went to work and I bundled up the children with random hats/scarves that were tucked in between seats and in the trunk and we walked to the nearest mall about 1/2 mile away and through crazy busy traffic/intersections.  And then we shopped.  I bought a cellphone so that Matt could call me to let me know when the car was ready to be picked up and a huge water so that we could all have something to sip on.  Then, we waited.  For SIX hours.  Four children who had to skip their rest time and a Mama who was constantly thinking about all the REAL shopping that needed to be done and that wasn't getting done...walked the mall, over and over and OVER.  For six hours.  (I hate malls.)

At one point, during a fit of inward stress and exhaustion, I sat down at the food court and the children bombed the empty arcade with pent up energy (but no money- sorry, arcade owner) while I sat at a table outside of the door and  I wrote this list.  (Yes, I carry around a clipboard in my car) I needed this list. After I started thinking about all the mercies that were shown to us that day, and started focusing on the wonderful providences of the day, I realized just how blessed a day it was.  Things could have been SO much worse.  What if I would have been stranded on the hill, 10 miles (all up hill) from ANYTHING?  What would have happened if the car hadn't finally stopped at that intersection?  What would have happened if it were freezing cold and my children, all with lingering coughs, had to walk for miles?  God is so good.

An exhausting, stressful, horrible day~ but still full to spilling of blessings.

{Happy}
 

Of course, NOT BEING KILLED would have been a good one to write as well-but my brain was pretty fried at this point. 

 We got home right at bedtime and ate a hurried dinner and then, after I was nearly zombie-like from an overwhelming day, I went straight to bed after tucking the children in bed. But in the middle of the night.... I was awakened by a torrent of puke.

{Real}



Puke.  The cherry on top.

I was up all night, holding back hair and washing her face and scraping off blankets.  I won't lie- one of my first thoughts was of that huge cup of water we all shared during our shopping experience.

I think my PUKE-filled days are far from being over.

Which means, Easter partying is officially canceled.  And I even bought a pineapple for the occasion!

{Pretty}



 Meanwhile~ Andrew gets mauled by a tiger.

{Funny}