I was sitting here very frustrated this evening. A number of things could be blamed for the frustration. Supper hour was kind of the final straw...it was one of those nights...none of you may be able to relate, but the kids were all at each other....mostly about who was going to sit where. We actually have assigned seating to avoid this conflict. Tonight three of my four traded spaces all very calmly...then the fourth child shows up and doesn't like any of it. I stopped all negotiations and the peace talks which had begun to heat up were silenced as MOM laid down the law. Complete with 4 kids going to their own bedrooms for the rest of the eve. if another word was said about the whole thing. (Admittedly, I was secretly hoping they would keep it up...so I would have the guaranteed peace of them being separated for the eve.) Yes, I am one of those mom's who ends the democratic process rather abruptly when I can see war on the verge of breaking out. I then switch hats to that of the dictator, shut down the war....and usually feel like the bad guy when it is all over. In the end I was the one sitting here on the verge of tears telling God that I don't like feeling this way, and I needed Him to help me change how I was feeling. By this point Mark and Jonathan are gone off together....where else...STARBUCKS...and the younger three headed out to shoot hoops and jump on the trampoline. I sat here feeling somewhat miserable, when I heard it...
My daughter Maria has the most incredible laugh...I can't even describe it. It's not a giggle or a belly laugh....I don't know, but I have never heard another laugh like it, and it is so contagious! Michael and Maria were getting Jianna to do silly things on the trampoline, and she was all too willing to oblige them. Maria was in hysterics...
Finally, I was able to smile, and then laugh to myself...and the frustration lifted.
Hearing my oldest daughter's laughter was just the medicine that I needed tonight...thank you Maria, and thank you God!
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine..." Proverbs 17:22
6 comments:
Gosh Jen, I only have 2 and am in a war zone daily. Lol. I usually intervene, and like you, end up feeling like the bad guy too....although sometimes (because there's only 2 now) I watch them play it out to see what happens...the outcome is seldom good.
God always brings laughter when we most need it. It is one of my most favourite things. Laughter is GOOD medicine. ( i really try to laugh as much as possible)
Kudos to you for laughing...and a peaceful evening once they are all in bed...ahh..bedtime...
Amy
So true! Thank God for our kids, who keep us silly and childlike, we need them.
I am grateful for Matt, he always keeps us laughing, since the day he was born, he has kept our family and others laughing.
Today I came home to him trying to blow the dirt off the driveway with the shop vac switched into reverse and he had the vacuum duct taped to the broom.
I laughed my head off. All the construction guys across the road were watching for my response. I just laughed, knowing that someday his creative ideas will make him rich!!
I have to believe that! Otherwise I;ll go crazy, and the bonus is, he always comes up with some new "brilliant idea" that makes me chuckle with laughter at how confidant and crazy he is.
I was laughing first at your blog and then what Cheryl has written about Matt.
The big fuss at our meal times was - who would sit beside Dad. They never once debated or requested sitting beside Mom...what am I dog meat? It has taken years of therapy but I'm healed up over the rejection now (lol)!!!
Kevin has always been the fun/crazy parent, so sitting beside Dad meant you were closer to the party.
Jenny,
What I loved so much about this post that you wrote, was that knowing that I am not the only one who sometimes secretly wishes for all kid's to be in their rooms (so that I can have some peace)!! Today is one of those days! It started with a silly game of one child saying things and the other coping what they say...but this time the game ended up with one in tears...major over reacting! Way too much drama in this house today. Maybe Maria can come over and laugh one of her laughs for me...
Warm fuzzies....I laughed out loud several times at all that I read in this section! (especially what Matt did!)hehe
I hate feeling bad after I've 'rightfully' been angry with my children.
I love how forgiving they can be.
You're right though - laughter really is the bed medicine.
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