The Highs Are Greater Than the Lows

After we finished a few morning chores (does anyone else have to include putting on daytime clothes in the chores category?), we took the day off from unpacking. Our first stop was a fun, albeit cold, splash pad. The big kids loved it, Sophie wanted nothing to do with it. At one point Peter tried to show her how much fun she could have and led her through a misting double arch. She looked completely betrayed and refused to go near the water after that.

After the water play, we went home for lunch and spent the afternoon playing in the backyard. Well, the kids played while I made a tiny dent in the field of weeds we have back there, but I like weeding, so we can count that as playing. The kids rode bikes and scooters and gathered rocks out of the neglected landscaping.

Then we took a walk to the boys' school and played at the playground. Highlights included seeing a rabbit, meeting one of our neighbors on the walk back, and subsequently being invited to a neighborhood party.

You want to know something funny? Looking at my account of the day, it seems pretty idyllic, doesn't it? But I didn't see it that way as the day was happening. The kids have all had trouble sleeping (new house worries?) and are reaching a new level of cranky and tired. They each show it in different ways. Peter argues more and gets increasingly defiant (which is kind of mind boggling), Cooper screams and hits and whines to the point that you can't really understand what he's saying. Phoebe takes dramatic to new heights and yells ALL THE TIME. Sophie gets silly, which I can deal with.

And I'm tired and feeling stressed that the boys aren't enrolled in school even though it starts next week and that I still haven't finished unpacking and that the kitchen is so small I'm having trouble finding counter space to prepare any food and between work and his commute Bryan has been out of the house for twelve hours each day for the last three days and I'm feeling overworked and underpaid.

However.

At dinner tonight all the kids told Bryan how awesome the day was. Phoebe, ever the employer of hyperbole, said it was, "the best day ever." Dinner was a calm and happy affair, the kids were all bathed without much contention and scripture reading and family prayer both happened without constant calls for reverence.

And now I can look back and see all the good things that happened. The splash pad was fun, even Sophie enjoyed walking the perimeter with me even if she wouldn't touch the water. I joined the kids in the backyard when I was feeling particularly stressed. The vitamin D had a positive effect, as did ripping those weeds out. In order to go on the walk I told the kids they needed to put away all the backyard toys, which meant they actually helped out with the cleaning. And they were worn out from all the outside play, so they fell asleep much faster.

I guess that's the beauty of perspective. I can see past the rough parts of the day and cherish the good.