Oh the Irony

David has been out of town for the last 5 days at an ADA conference that the army sent him to. I've been handling the kids quite well on my own even if I am praying every single night for more patience. But last night when David called I told him I think I belong at Walmart. Yesterday I put all the girls down for naps and let Ashton skip quiet time to play outside with his friends. When the girls woke up I hurried and fed Lucy and put the other two girls in the car in an effort to get the shopping done before dinner. As we were loading up I called Ashton home and he hopped right in the car. Did I mention that since I had already locked the door to the house and hadn't found out the last time Ashton went to the bathroom I contemplated telling him to pee in the backyard before I buckled him just to save time? You'll be happy to know I refrained. Upon buckling all of them in their car seats I realized they were a hot mess. Hannah had knots in her hair that looked like she had gotten in a fight. Mallie had some sort of oreos from earlier in the day stuck in the sides of her mouth. And Ashton had dirt rubbed all over his face and hands. I did my best with a wet wipe and set off for Walmart. . Why was I going to Walmart to grocery shop and not the commissary? Because I lost my wallet... again. And I can't get a new military ID till David comes back to sign for me so the commissary was off limits. Different story for a different day.

 

At Walmart I strapped Lucy to my chest and the other 3 all complied to ride in the cart. That's a luxury that I don't usually experience. As I pushed them through the aisles Ashton and Mallie were both leaning up against the same side of the cart and my right arm was going dead as I was trying to balance out the weight and keep Lucy's binky in her mouth. They weren't bad  at all in the store but they still looked homeless and I looked like a walking ad for birth control. Sometimes when I take them all shopping I tell myself that we should wait a few years before deciding to add to the chaos lest we make it on to the people of Walmart website.

 

But then yesterday my friend Mandy gave me the USB with the amazing family pictures she took of us this week. They changed my mind completely. We're never perfectly groomed like this on a regular basis but this snapshot in time reminds me that I'm doing just fine. I consider it a success regularly that I have them all fed, dressed and mostly happy each day.

 

I love them all to pieces. We are not the perfect family not by a long shot but it's fun to pretend like it in pictures once a year!