Christmas sans credit

"Oh, the holiday signs are frightful and I've lost my cards for shopping?"

OK, so not really a good replacement lyric for the holiday classic, but it's certainly how I feel. I know credit cards are bad, bad and worse. I've been there. I've racked up the debt. I've paid off the debt only to rack up the debt again. So why does doing the RIGHT thing feel so WRONG?

Why indeed? My sister from another mister has a theory, which I think she shared with my pastor because today's message hit me right between the eyes.

There are a million and one maybe two things I need to be doing right now in my life. One thing trumps them all. There are no shortcuts, no easy swipes of plastic, only heart grease and knee time can solve this problem. Hear my prayer, my father.

PMHP

Purpose.
Meaning.
Hope.
Peace.

A Bit Belated

And then Jacob said …

My voice sucks this week, so I was thrilled when Jacob picked out an "I Spy" book to read for bed Friday night.

Somehow, the topic of marriage came up with my 4-year-old as we hunted for the various objects on the page. He informed me that he was going to do something (wish I remembered that part) when he was married.

Me: Who are you going to marry?

J: Riley.

Me: Why Riley?

J: She is my favorite girl at school.

Me: Why?

J: She's very pretty. (Pause.) I need to marry a really pretty girl.

I am wondering how to reply to that when he says this.

"Boys can't marry boys, right mom?"

Uhhh?! Is this a random 4-year-old type of question or has he been talking to someone on the playground.

I sort of nod my head as a response. He continues.

"Boys can't marry boys that would be silly. Girls get the babies."

Just who is this child?

Me: "What do you mean?"

J: If you are gonna get a baby, you need a girl. God puts babies in their tummies."

I can only imagine the look on my face as I try to nod in agreement. Perhaps he wasn't quite sure where I stood on the issue.

J: Well, wasn't I in your tummy, mommy?"

Naughty mom for a day

So today, I pretty much let my kids do whatever they wanted to do. I have very little voice today, not that yelling at them seems to have much of an impact.

Relentless is a good word to describe two boys and a day full of activity. They popped into our room for some quick quality daddy time around 7:15 a.m. He left at 8 a.m. and has yet to return.

I tried to bribe them with TV as I cleaned up the house. Do you know I vacuumed my rug four times today? My mom will be impressed.

I let Jacob have 10 pieces of candy. And he counted it out and kept looking at me like my head would spin around. Jared ate two suckers at once. I tried to make them take naps so I could watch a few episodes of "Gilmore Girls" while I folded the mountain of laundry in peace! I got sick of yelling at them (as best I could) and putting them back to bed, so I finally gave up. (This was before the sugar ironically enough).

Then I decided I would just watch "Gilmore Girls" and let them run wild. I told Jacob if he told on his brother one more time that I was going to give him a second helping of Jared's offense.

Later, though Jared smacked Jacob with the hose to the sweeper, so I returned the favor. I would like to say that Jared stopped hitting Jacob afterward, but he didn't.

I have no idea how stay-at-home mothers endure this kind of abuse day after day.

Mom, please don't kill me

Well, the boys needed haircuts, and they got them. I think they are adorable, but there is no doubt in my mind that my momma will hate them. Admitedly, Jared's is a bit shorter than I expected, but his hair is a lot thinner than Jacob's. Anyway, it was a NUTTY week, and the deed is done. Perhaps they will have some length by Thanksgiving?