Say Hey

However long our feet have walked on this world
We’ve all lived long enough to know
That sometimes life will go our way
And other times it won’t
But still I’ve got this joy inside of me
With each new dawn I do believe to

Say hey, it’s a good day
Even if things aren’t going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it’s a good day

Happy Easter!

Well . . . wow.  So today was . . . today was a day!  And praise Jesus for that!  And I'm still standing.  (And not only that, but have enough energy to write about it--a bonus!)

The day started with Raleigh stirring beside me--a VERY rare occurrence since we don't share any days off together.  I smiled sweetly at hearing the rumble of his early morning snores reverberating off the pillow, and thought to myself, "It's going to be a great day."  And then, our day began . . .

After drifting back off to sleep with the thought I might be able to catch just a few more moments of precious slumber, my trio began singing from their cribs.  Time to get up!

Despite the early start, breakfast was hurried and no one wanted to eat.  Well, Raleigh and I did, but doing so was encumbered by the fact that one child kept throwing food on the floor (we won't name that child--ahem, Ethan) while the other two kept fighting over who got to hold the white truck that had previously been sitting in the middle of the living room, unwanted by anyone.

While the kids were locked into their high chairs, I ran upstairs to curl my hair and slip into my dress.  I pulled the purple and orange flowery one from my closet (a feel-good choice in that I wore it for our rehearsal dinner, and I always feel like a lady in it) and as I flipped it over to slide it over my head, saw that one of the pleats in the back was completely ripped, with frayed fabric outlining a very big--and un-mendable hole.  Well, so much for that!  I went for plan B and grabbed an equally cute (but less "Eastery") black and white dress from my closet and threw it on.  "At least I have another dress clean and ironed, I thought.  This is going to be a good day!"

After double changes on two of the three (since the youngest filled their diapers again immediately after getting fresh drawers on), a bolt towards the car and a crying fit of who gets the coveted middle car seat (I think they like to see out the front?) we made our way to church.  I looked in the back seat at each of our boys, dressed so handsomely in their three piece suits and homemade Easter crowns (picture crayon scribbles and upside-down stickers on a band of poorly-cut construction paper) and said, "I love you, boys."  And each one of them (almost in unison!) said, "I love you, too."  And I thought, "This is going to be a good day!"

And guess what?  Despite the overwhelming number of people moving in and out of the church doors and driving around in the crowded parking lot, we managed to find a wide space in which to park, not too far from the front, next to a sidewalk where everyone could walk in safely!  "This is going to be a great day!"

Well, regardless of the safety zone the sidewalk provided, no one wanted to walk and each went limp at any suggestion of it.  So we threw on our cowboy badges and tried herd the kids like cats into mass.  Seeing we were outnumbered (aren't we always?) and were not likely to win without a Ghandian sit-in on the church sidewalk, we acknowledged defeat and carried all three of them from the parking lot inside.

Thankfully my parents kept up with their lovely practice of holding seats for us, since it takes us so much longer to get in to church than most.  The boys' leg span are not that great just yet and those entry way stairs and long ways down the aisle to our pews take some time.  :)  And so we sat--in an entire pew saved for us and my brother and his family--and sat down EARLY (another win!) for Easter service.  "This is going to be a great day!"

Well, my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew ended up not making it (SUPER disappointing), and the buzz of the crowded church added to the chaos.  Well, that, and the fact that my kids were FIESTY--with Raleigh having to take them out "for walks" on at least 3 separate occasions.  And that was in between them falling limp in our arms, wanting me to hold all three at once ("No, that's MYYYYYYYYYY mommy!") and usual cries/wiggles/tantrums/protests of toddlers trying to make it through mass.  There was a point when Blake was sitting happily near my dad, Ethan was snuggled into Raleigh's chest, and Carson was singing along the hymns with me (and dutifully listening to my explanation of why Jesus was no longer "hiding" behind the blanket--in our church, the statue of the Resurrected Christ is covered during Lent until Easter Sunday), and I thought, "Somehow, this IS working.  Today is going to be a great day!"

I don't remember much of the homily (thank goodness I had gone over the day's readings last night and so had reflected on them a little bit prior to today's service) and was grateful to make it through mass without completely (or so I hope) turning off our church neighbors as to ever coming back to mass again.  (I think the boys were so adorable in their suits and charmed them all with handshakes and toothy smiles when it was time to share peace, they had at some level forgotten how distracting they were during the other 49 minutes of mass.)

We got to my folks safely after church (and a quick grocery run) and the boys had fun playing in the sun while Omi and Papa finished up making lunch.  They kicked a soccer ball in the grass, climbed a tree, "fixed" rocks with my dad's garden hose, drew lines in the dirt with sticks, and disassembled my mom's garden accessories.  In other words, they got to be boys.  And I enjoyed every minute watching them.  "This is going to be a great day!"

We enjoyed lunch with my parents and cousins, and sister-in-law and nephew (they made it to lunch!).  SO good!  Unfortunately, Ethan refused to eat anything (and I do mean ANYTHING) and holding him prevented me from getting much from the plate to my mouth.  He did perk up quickly once he saw his Easter basket, however, and the baggie of Cadbury mini eggs his Omi so selflessly sacrificed for her grandsons.  Of course mommy was mean and said he could only eat one, which again let to a long song of tears and whining.  Thankfully, he's easily distracted, and so ended the tears after showing him the bouncy ball (and stickers!) he also had in his basket.  Crisis averted.

With me tickling their feet and shoving goldfish in their hands to keep them busy, the boys managed to stay awake the entire ride home (score for us to ensure a full nap for all three boys--at the same time!).  They protested to go upstairs (and fought for a few minutes before drifting off to sleep) but eventually gave in.  Raleigh and I had some time alone!  Together!  (That hardly ever happens!)  So what did we do?  We worked on our bathroom!

Raleigh made great progress and finished installing the plumbing on our sinks (a task we've wanted to do for WEEKS) and we high-fived as the water turned on successfully with a half rotation of the knobs.  Of course, only one side of each sink was in the right direction, with the left knob in the "on" position actually letting water flow freely--while the other side (right knob) actually letting water out while in the "off" position.  We laughed.  At least we're closer than we were before!  And progress is progress--"It's going to be a great day!"

Of course we realized Carson was awake the entire time--he had a poopy diaper (grrrrrr, the timing!)--and so was really happy once his brother woke up too.  The happy chatter was a welcome end to our time in remodel mode and we got the kids up from their naps.

We did enjoy a good dinner together at a favorite restaurant we all love, and Raleigh and I relished in the time we were spending as a family, without the rush of day care drop-off and pick-up or a hurried dinner between work and bathtime/bed.  Of course, we just had to laugh when after we left the restaurant (where Blake had been changed) and were taking a long and scenic walk back to the car, that Ethan and Carson divulged they too had full, poopy (and I do mean FULL) diapers.  We changed Carson but realized his clean diaper was the last in the bag (why do my kids have to poop so much?!) and that Ethan might have to sit in the car on the way home in messy pants.  Knowing that we couldn't handle the smell for the ride home (and felt doubly bad when Ethan jumped up on the bench to be changed, asking for a clean diaper), we decided to hijack the cleanish diaper from Blake and put it on Ethan instead.   Ethan seemed pleased and Blake promised he'd keep dry pants (I think he secretly was excited to go commando), and we made it home.  No more poopy diapers from any of them, and Blake stayed dry!  He even told me he had to go potty when we got home and made it to the toilet before wetting!  Hooray!  "This is going to be a good day!"

Now, I have three sleeping little boys upstairs and a big boy on the couch (with whom I get to snuggle in just a bit).  I am so blessed.  And speaking of blessings, today is Easter--our Lord is Risen!  Today IS a good day!

Circumstance and situations change
You know life can turn on a dime
But there’s a constant hope and peace
That I have come to find
And it’s all because of who God is
And that He is alive and I am His, so

Say hey, it’s a good day
Even if things aren’t going my way
Jesus is Lord and I am saved
So, say hey, it’s a good day

~"Say Hey" lyrics by FFH