i wish for a weekend that lasts forever.

Ahh.

Sitting in my living room sipping on my midnight Starbucks. . .

So reluctant to say goodbye to this whirlwind weekend.

It started on Thursday with a visit to my precious friend Mrs. A.  You know how sometimes life is just too hard to sort out on your own?  Well, then it's time to seek out someone who is a bit wiser than you.  I treasure this woman and her ability to speak the truth in love into my life.  She is priceless to me.  I would wish her counsel on anyone and if you don't have someone like that in your life. . . look!

Another high point event on Thursday was realizing once again that I don't have parenting under control at all.

This always happens to me when I am on top of the world, feeling like I'm the mommy of the year.  You may be familiar with the phrase pride goes before a fall;  pretty sure that was written for me.

So I'm on the phone with my sister, sitting down on a park bench to wait for Cambria's soccer practice to finish.  Jacob had asked to go play on the park because one of his friends was waiting, too, and he scampered off happily. I've been feeling pretty good about the toddler advice I've been giving to my sister.  I've been relishing the role of the encourager;  it feels so good to be out of the terrible two stage of life, you know. 

So nice to just sit on a park bench under the tree, chatting with my sister, the breeze blowing and the sounds of . . .

well, the sounds of. . .

LOUD YELLING

in the background.

My eyes and ears focus and I realize that a man is yelling on the playground. 

He's actually yelling at my son.

you punched him, you punched him. where's your mom, where's your mom?!

I hung up the phone with my sister and tried to stay calm and rational.

There is a little boy crying; Jacob's face is white and he is literally shaking in fear, which is definitely a new look on him. He is looking at me wild eyed, saying Mom, I didn't punch him, I didn't!

I used lots of "sirs" and tried to communicate that I was sorry my son had hurt the little weeping fella and that I would get to the bottom of the story.

So much for peaceful breeze and bench time.

We eventually came to the conclusion that although the reaction didn't match the actual offense, JD could still apologize for bumping into the weeping dude in the playground  tunnel and steer a clear path  around him the rest of the time.

But isn't that the way of motherhood?  Just when you think ahh, I'm done. . .  there will be something else. 

I think the exhausting thing about being a mom is that your mind doesn't get a vaca.  You must be constantly engaged.

Moving on. . . .

blissful weekend spent at my family's. {about the only place I can let my mind have a vaca}

It was so great.

football

donuts

relaxing

waterslide for the cousins

go-kart rides

cooking together

coffee & ice trips

/someone/ may be a bit tired because we were up til 2am sprawled all over the porch swing bed last night catching up on al the girl talk that we've all missed out on. 

{Dad must be getting to be quite the softy.  My sisters must have a steady stream of  projects that they pitch to him, because everytime I come to their house, there is something different and fascinating that they found on Pinterest and begged Dad to make.}

Sisters!  There is just no substitute!