Reality

Kevin wore a green tie on St. Pat’s. Someone asked him if he had a court hearing that day (i.e., the reason for the tie). He said, “No, I just did it for my wife.” Then he was asked if his wife has Irish heritage. He said “No, she’s just into whatever holiday it happens to be.” Ha! This is so true. I love an excuse to do something out of the ordinary.

So, here’s what our St. Patrick’s Day REALLY looked like.

1. The morning was rushed. It always takes much longer to get out the door than I plan for. I did manage to dye the kids’ milk green, just for fun. Meredith and Clara are so different. I told them the milk came from a green cow. Meredith just stared at the milk, full of skepticism. Clara’s attitude was like, “Cool. I love green cows! Let me try it!!”

2. It’s 9:30 a.m. By no small miracle, all kids are buckled in the car, the corned beef made it into the slow cooker, and we will be able to make library class on time.

3. Car battery is dead. Four different neighbors are called for help. We all have the same problem—the jumper cables are in our husbands’ cars, far away. I make a mental note to buy an extra set of jumper cables.

3. We miss library class.

4. My dear, dear friend (she is the best!) loads her baby in the car and drives from her house in a nearby subdivision to jump start my car.

5. Sophia wakes up and is hungry. I had planned to feed her at library class. So, I sit on the garage steps to breastfeed my child and wait for my friend to arrive. The kids pull out all their bikes and toys.

6. The car is working again! The baby is fed. A diaper is changed. The toys are put back in the garage. The kids are all re-buckled.

7. We head to Destination #2, McDonald’s. We get our food but the Shamrock Shake machine is broken. Meredith is very disappointed. I promise to get her one after the parade.

8. We have a good conversation about how a man plans his way, but God directs his steps. It’s remarkable how little we actually have control over. Scratch that. We control nothing.

9. We arrive downtown. Clara tells me she has to pee. All four of us, including the stroller, squeeze into the downtown Jimmy John’s bathroom. Clara touches everything gross. (We need to buy stock in the hand sanitizer company. I never go anywhere without hand sanitizer.)

10. We meet up with daddy. Yay! Seeing Kevin walk toward me is always the best part of my day.

11. We make the parade. We even manage to find a sunny spot to stand in. That’s when we realize it will be impossible to eat our food standing up in a crowd, while helping our children see the parade.

12. The parade is over. We sit on a curb to eat cold French fries. The girls get a thrill out of feeding numerous birds their French fries.

13. Sophia is hungry again. I feed her a bottle while pushing her stroller through downtown streets, to the parking garage.

14. We conquer the Green Canal. We had to walk far, but it was fun.

15. I make good on my promise to get a Shamrock Shake for the girls. Clara has fallen asleep in the car, however.

16. We manage to play a few rounds of hide-the-Shamrock at home. Meredith also creates an impromptu green centerpiece for the table, made out of a Styrofoam cup and pine needles she found on the side of the canal.

17. Dinner is ready. Kevin got stuck at the office. The girls and I eat without him. He comes home, I pass off the torch, and I head to book club.

“A man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9