Wardrobe Malfunction

So I almost went to church without a shirt on yesterday.

OK technically I was wearing a tank top. But not exactly what you would consider "Sunday best."

Let me explain. Sunday mornings, I'm a single parent. My kids still have a wonderful, loving, and involved father, but being a pastor, he's just very much otherwise occupied with churchy things. So it's my job to get all of us ready, pack diaper/entertainment bags, prep for Sunday School or playing piano some weeks...you get the picture. Our house is about as Sabbath-like as LaGuardia on Sunday mornings.

Yesterday, I wanted to wear a sweater that I had just rescued from its summer home, neatly wrapped in tissue in my cedar chest. Or maybe it was wadded up on the top shelf of my closet since last February. One or the other. Anyway, it needed a little freshening up, so I tossed it in the dryer and proceeded to dress our barn cats in sweaters for a Christmas card picture. Just kidding, that would be easy. Really I was subjecting the kids to a unique form of torture that involved getting DRESSED. In actual CLOTHES. With BUTTONS. Evil, aren't I???

I made it as far as shoes before the first crisis. "They're too TIIIIIIIGHT!! Make it LOOSER!!! Noooooooo not like that, like the OTHER ONE!!! LOOSER!!!" We finally compromised with barely attached Velcro and moved on to Sarah's coat. Picture wrestling a 23-pound trout into an adorable purple puffy coat, only the trout has SHOES. And TEETH.

So that's done (never speak of it again!) I slide my shoes on, grab my coat...and realize I'm missing that elusive article of clothing, the aforementioned sweater. In the time it takes me to grab it from the dryer, Sarah poops (WHY did I put tights on her???) and Noah tries repeatedly to take himself to church (we live next door, so it's not like he stole the car keys, but still!)

We made it. In one piece. And dressed, more or less. As for surviving worship services with two small children...that's a post for another day, especially since I got off easy and pawned them off on kindhearted church members so I could play the piano yesterday. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to put pants on and go to play group. Have a great day :-)

After These Messages...

So I started this blog awhile ago...awhile like five birthdays, two children, one business, and several thousand cups of coffee ago. I'm bringing procrastination to a new level here, people--I'd tell you to join me but I know you'd all put off doing it and it would never happen. So I'll settle for hoping you stop by now and then to hear about what's going on in our crazy little family.

I'm getting back to posting--after my, um, let's call it a "leave of absence" because that sounds official and like I did it on purpose--because I genuinely missed writing. I've missed sharing stories from our family that are longer than a status update. I've missed the quiet click of laptop keys layered over the smell of coffee and the cheerful sound of Mickey Mouse raising my children for me. Most of all, I've missed the opportunities to connect my stories to your stories and the great big brutiful (brutal/beautiful--thank you Glennon over at Momastery) incredible Story that connects all of us.

A lot has changed since the cold February morning when I first posted to this blog. Three days after that post, we found out we were pregnant with Noah. So, you know, that was kind of a big deal. After he arrived, I shifted my focus from writing to being a mama, and also to building a little business teaching Kindermusik so he and all his sweet friends could have that opportunity to learn and grow together through music. Then there was Sarah, the child who had a mind of her own from the womb and took a little extra love and help to arrive safely. To sum up, life happened and I've been busy living it instead of writing about it!

Some things haven't changed much, though. We are still blessed every day to be a part of two loving and joyful faith communities at Zion and Immanuel Zion. We have learned a lot more about country life, farming, and driving on gravel in all kinds of weather, yet we still have to ask a lot of questions and learn to wrap our minds around ways of living that are so different from the way we were raised. Our visits with extended family are always too few and far between. But our hearts are full, and we are thankful.

Stay tuned...I may actually post again! Don't get your hopes up. I'm just saying, it's a possibility. I think I need more coffee first...