so NOT super mom

Recently, while I was fixing supper, Thing 1 was sitting at his little table coloring, and Thing 2 was in his crib napping. I starting thinking to myself how "together" I had everything! The house was clean, the boys were clean, Thing 1 was occupied in a fairly stimulating activity instead of watching TV, and I was going to have supper waiting on the table when my husband got home from work. Come to think of it, I think I might have even managed to take a shower and put on make up that day! Wow...I really had it together! I must be really getting the hang of this "mom" thing...or so I thought. Until I turned around to see this......

All over the couch!!!

This brought me back down to reality real fast!!!

Proverbs 16:18 does tell us: Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.

It might sound a little dramatic. I know that crayon on the couch is hardly considered "destruction", but I it was enough to cause me to check myself! I don't want to fall into the trap of pride. I'm so thankful that God was able to use this to bring me back down a little. I think it's easy to take pride in something when you feel you've put a lot of effort into it and you begin to see results. So many times we want to give our worries to God, yet we are not so quick to give him the glory when things are going right! I think this was God's subtle way of letting me know that I am NOT in control. The good times and the struggles are all equally His.

But.......come to think of it, we were getting kind of tired of this couch anyway. We've been wanting to do a something a little different! But I was thinking something more along the lines of some new toss pillows or something! Maybe something more like this....

It helps me.....

It's funny how once you have kids, doing things that used to be very simple suddenly require a lot more planning. Take running errands for example. What used to be as simple as jumping in the car and taking off, now requires a few more steps. It used to be that I just needed to make sure I had my wallet. Now I have to make sure I have my wallet, at least four diapers, wipes, and a few changes of clothes. That's just for Thing 2. Thing 1 needs a change of clothes, a few pull ups, crackers, and a cup. Gone are the days of just jumping in the car!! I am by NO means complaining. I am loving every minute of being mommy to those boys!! It's just funny how things change.

I made a little discovery shortly after Thing 1 was born, that made grocery shopping a little easier. Most people will drive around Walmart looking for the parking place closest to the store. However, when you have small children and groceries, being close to the store is pretty irrelevant if you still have to walk half way across the parking lot to put your cart back (assuming that you actually DO put your cart back). Instead of trying to find the closest spot to the door, I try to find the spot that is closest to the place that the carts go. That way I can put my groceries in my car, buckle the kids in, and put my cart away. This way I don't have to decide between leaving the kids in the car alone, or walking across the parking lot carrying a baby car seat and holding a two year olds hand.

This may seem trivial, and it's something that I would have never even thought twice about back in the days when I could leave the house with just a wallet, but it is something that makes my life just a little easier.