a good day after yesterdays storm, thank God...

SWEET Maddie Grace

Olivia JOY

the new invention... I think the girls think it is allot better then Libby does!

the girls and I have had a great day... Lord knows that we needed it after World War III last night. Why is it that some days everyone is just NAUGHTY? In turn them being naughty makes me naughty!! Jed is gone for 3 days on business. It never fails that bedtimes are everything but pleasant when he is gone. I know that allot of it is because my patience is at a low point at 5 PM when the "witching hours", as I call them begin. You that are mothers know exactly what I am talking about. The point at which if one more person whines, begs, looks crossed eyed, talks back, or says " I am hungry" or " I need..." one more time you will burst.... And wouldn't you know that is the point that my dear husband comes home everyday.. ( love you Jed and am sorry for everything that you endure with me!) I feel like I am patient, or at least start the day out that way.... by the hour I feel the storm coming. Well last night IKE blew over the Smith home. And there was devastation! I will not go into to many details, I will just tell you that it was ugly. The most disobedient, fearless, bull headed children resided here last night. And you know the part that makes me the most annoyed? When those kiddos who want me to be at their beckon call all day all of the sudden start crying out for their dad. Forget the last 12 hours of sacrifice... It just a bunch of blubbering " I want my daddddy...." Gross. So do I ... but guess what YOU GOT ME TONIGHT!

So the storm raged for a few hours... I prayed many times for a calm spirit.. Still not sure if i got it or not. So after all had settled down, kids where separated and in different room I came into the girls room where Madison was in bed. She was on top of her covers and asked why it was so hot in our house. "because you and Olivia had been so disobedient and disrespectful that I closed the windows so that the neighbors would not call the police if they heard you screaming." I am sure that this is NOT what I should have said, but you know what, I felt she needed the truth. I closed the windows because I was sure the authorities would arrive any minute.... if I did not muffle the awful noise. They would come to rescue the two horribly underprivileged, out of control yelling monsters that were being treated so unfair by their mother. I mean really.. what other mom in the world actually makes her kids clean their room and brush their teeth. I know.... I am MEAN! I should ask the Kindergarten teacher what she was told this morning!!

So all of that to say LORD KNEW we needed a better day today! I am so thankful that today after the first session of the new bible study I am in, I was assured that I was just like all of the other exhausted mother and wife's out there. We all have days that we want to throw in the towel and go somewhere..anywhere really..as long as there is no kids or men! Somewhere where there are no windows to be closed, unless you are cold! the study that we are doing is called Feminine Appeal and I can tell it is going to be great! So after bible study I picked up Madison from school and my patience was at a high! I was willing and ready to serve my dear children and we had a great day. I read, they played...nicely! I am so thankful that usually these rough days are not strung together. they come in small doses to remind us just what we did to our parents. After I had cleaned up all evidence of the storm last night I was heading to bed and found both girls in Maddie's bed. They do love each other. And I DO love them. I thanked God for the precious blessing of SLEEPING children and kissed them both goodnight.

God bless all mothers in the world!