My goal today: Make it to Vacation Bible School by 6:00pm.
I live 25 minutes from church.
I left the house at 4:25pm.
Why? Because I am 10 minutes late everywhere I go, and it's never for any one reason....and certainly not predictable ones. There's always such a conglomerate of things that occur, that I don't even bother trying to explain anymore. I just accept the pleasant surprise that people display when or if I do happen to be on time, and I just shrug and roll with it when I'm late.
So what happened today? Was 1 hour and 35 minutes enough time to get 25 minutes down the road?
1. We left early so we could stop at the library (4 blocks from home). We had to inspect all 154 board books and 87 children's DVDs before making a selection...even though I offered several reminders that we would be back later in the week and could check out every book in the whole building by the end of the summer, so JUST PICK ONE.
2. While checking out their books and DVDs, I realize that the 2-year-old has pooped in her diaper. We return home to change her.
3. We get back in the car and start to pull out of the driveway. The 4-year-old announces that she has to pee. We go back in the house.
4. We make it all the way out of the driveway and a whole mile from the house, when I realize that I have left my cell phone on the charger. We go back and get it.
5. This time we make it an entire 10 miles from home when the 4-year-old announces that she has to pee again. There are no bathrooms. We have to get off of the interstate and do a roadside number. We get back onto the interstate.
6. Now we have to stop at the dance school to register for summer classes. The owner suggests that I not pay for the 2-year-old's classes until we see how she does the first week. Since she is running in circles around the studio, screaming, and slamming doors, I accepted this as solid advise.
7. As we're leaving the dance studio, I realize that the 2-year-old has pooped in her diaper...again. I change her in the car.
8. The 4-year-old has to pee...again.
9. We finally make it to church. It is 6:10pm.
WHAT would be my excuse for being late? Which thing do I bother picking? The fact that we got in out of the car 256 times, and each time I was sternly reminded that there was to be absolutely no amount of assistance from myself with their climbing in OR out of the vehicle, CERTAINLY didn't speed things up. Note: It is a slow and painful agony to stand their grinding your teeth while waiting for this. I have to chant things about "encouraging independence" in my head the whole time.
I used to stress about being late. For the sake of my mental health, I now just embrace it. You can't rush little kids. I mean, you CAN...but the only one stressed out is YOU. And is THAT how I want my kids to remember me? That I was yelling "Hurry up!" all of the time? If we have to be somewhere and I start getting everyone ready 3 hours beforehand....and we're STILL late...C'est la vie! They won't be little forever, and I refuse to waste the time that I do have with them by constantly being frazzled. THEY are the most important thing in my life...and if I'm WITH them...then what's there to stress about?
So hug your babies tight, make time to stop and examine caterpillars or count rocks...and just avoid making appointments unless absolutely necessary.
"I am always late on principle, my principle being that punctuality is the thief of time." - Oscar Wilde
♥M
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