Shannon Yee

Today was one of those days that I wish I could start over and change just about everything. It was rainy and gloomy all day – still raining steadily.

I stayed in bed too long and didn’t enjoy a few moments with my husband before he left for work.

While I was in the shower, I was greeted by whines and screams as Josiah couldn’t make the blanket stay on the pillows.

When I got out, I realized that he had also peed on the couch, dumped out all the baskets in my bedroom and emptied the huge cedar chest at the end of my bed.

Eila ran around yelling at him to clean it up; she really didn’t want to wear shoes or a coat, until she saw the rain and then had to change completely. She ran through all the puddles as she went to the car and “ruined” her shoes (with great sobs.)

We were late for the meeting I was heading to. We never made it to the library or the grocery store.

Returning home, Josiah dumped water all over the rug in the living room. I yelled at him and put him in time out for getting more water after I told him to stop. He then tried to flush Eila’s sweater. I yelled again and sent him away and then lectured him.

Eila and I played Wii and then she whined and cried because I tried to help her navigate. I yelled at her that she can’t yell at me like that. She then threw a huge fit while I left to give her and me some space; it lasted for about 40 minutes when she was suddenly quiet – and asleep.

A few moments later Joe woke from his short nap and needed lots of cuddling and requesting candy.

Josiah asked me to help him put socks on his hands and then tried to climb into the oven – because that’s where Joshie was waiting for him.

While I tried to awaken Eila from an impromptu and late nap, he squished up all her orange slices and made orange juice. I yelled some more. I am very good at yelling, but now my throat hurts a little.

While I emptied the dishwasher and Josiah “helped” me and then went to play somewhere. He was actually painting with real house paint – one-half gallon dumped in the laundry room and on the already painted and previously ready-to-hang door for Eila’s new room. He got paint on the very few maternity clothes that fit me well and look okay… Fortunately, Brian came home at this point for about an hour before he left for a work dinner party. So, he got assigned to try to wake up Eila again.

Eila whined and whined. Then, Eila screamed and yelled and kicked and threw one of the biggest tantrums I’ve ever seen from her, which is really saying a lot, since she is a drama queen.

I moped and pouted about not going to a girls’ night out dinner with my friends and did puzzles with Eila until I couldn’t do any more.

I guess it was just a typical day, but I had a bad attitude all day and wish I had responded differently at so many points throughout the day…

Yet again…

It feels like every week is crazy so far this fall. We aren’t involved in preschool or lots of classes or groups because I wanted to have a season of rest and enjoy the time at home. So far just keeping up with groceries and cleaning has proved to be a challenge.

I hope we’re not so busy with big stuff that we are missing all the fun little stuff – that’s what I feel like and fear is happening. But then I can think of the little things that we’ve been doing that have been really amazing too – like last week we stopped at Hines for a nature walk and collected leaves and jumped on rocks for a while. Eila and Josiah and I cuddled and read books together for a long time this afternoon. On Saturday, Brian and the kids raked the yard and played outside for a couple of hours while I cleaned and cooked, so things like my trip to Dallas or the Mom to Mom Sale are big, but not the only things in our lives.

Being on vacation and with family away from home for several weeks in the past two months has been exhausting. It has also been more fun than I can express, but apparently I am truly an introvert and refresh by being alone. I have always known this, but often doubt because I love hanging out with my family and close friends so much.

Having two little ones who are not living according to the “normal” routine and being with people all the time was an adventure – tiring and fabulous all in one.

I am very thankful to be home and getting settled back into whatever normal is. I just wish it didn’t involve so much laundry, dishes, and whining (from me or the kids!)…

Summer is pretty much here. It is humid with thunderstorms in the afternoons and trips to the park in the mornings. I’m able to hang my laundry outside and it actually dries (and quickly too!) and Josiah points out bugs everywhere. These are the signs of summer.

I love summer and being hot, spending countless hours in the outdoors, eating picnics and I especially love vacations. Summer is the time for vacations in my mind. This summer we have several family trips planned. At the end of June, we will venture out into the tent camping world again with several of our friends who also have young ones. We would like to have celebrate another Christmas (minus presents and cold) sometime in July and spend a night at the waterpark and eat a good German chicken dinner – the Kralys may join us, which would be very fun. We’ll be joining Brian’s extended family for a few days in a condo near the lake at the end of July. In the middle of August, my extended family will be spending a week on a different lake. The crazy thing is that with all this fun and travel, we won’t even leave our beloved state. Maybe one day we will again travel to distant lands and places never before seen (by us).

The other thing I love about summer is the long days. It feels like I’m able to do so much more and be more productive. One of the things that I’ll be spending a lot of time on is MOPS. If you have any great ideas for the Adventure of Motherhood, which is our theme for next year, let me know…

Over Memorial Day weekend, Brian and I did a lot of random tasks around the house, but we also had a lot of family fun. The trips out to dim sum, cemetery, zoo, parade, and Grandma’s were actually really refreshing for me. We were able to talk about the whole point of the Memorial Day holiday and remember and thank God for all the freedoms and gifts we have as well as remember and talk about other family members and even spend time with some of them. We didn’t really have to cook all weekend and ate really well, which is very relaxing for me. And, the time at home was pretty nice too. The kids enjoyed playing in the water table (with the arrival of summer and hot, humid weather!) and I felt like things that had been hanging over me to do for a long while were finished – what a relief.