My Big, Gushy Heart

Still needing to sort through the rest of my Easter shots, but no time this morning so I'll just share this one for now...

I walked into Courtney's room the other night to find this.

So I spun around on one foot and sprinted down the hallway to grab my camera because I've got a big, gushy heart that wants to have a moment like this saved on a little piece of 4x6 inch photographic paper forever.

But lest anyone think our days and nights are filled with nothing but moments like this, let me share with you a short segment from an entire morning (this morning) that went on just like this:

Annie: Ugh. I was sitting there. Mooooom, I was sitting there and then Courtney took my stool.

Annie: Why do I have to eat a prune for breakfast? Prunes are like the grossest fruit ever invented.

Cole: That's so disgusting Courtney, I can't believe you're scraping your banana with your almonds and then eating them. (And then moves his stool to the other side of the table in a sign of banana-scraping protest.)

Annie: Sneeze. Sneeze.

Courtney: Giggle.

Annie: Don't laugh at me Courtney!!!

Courtney: Goes to eat a bite of her banana and it breaks in half (because she scraped it half to death with her almonds) and falls onto her lap.

Cole: Laugh.

Courtney: Don't laugh at me Cole!!! K.K., Cole's laughing at me because my banana broke.

Me: Irritated. Silent.

Cole: Well you laughed at Annie when she sneezed so I can laugh at you.

Me: Courtney laughed at Annie because she double-sneezed and it sounded cute. You were laughing at Courtney because you were happy to see her banana fall in her lap. Big difference.

Cole: How come I'm always the one who gets in trouble?

Courtney: Big, dramatic sigh and a rolling of the eyes.

Me: Courtney, you're the only one who's not in trouble so far this morning so lets lay off the drama before you get in trouble too.

Cole: Can I have pears in my lunch?

Annie: I don't want pears, I want strawberries.

Courtney: Can I have pears and strawberries?

Annie: Ouch. Owwww. Owwwwie. Moooooooooom, why do you have to brush my hair so hard?

Me: Annie, move your hand out of the way while I'm trying to brush your hair or I'm going to whack it. 

Me: Guys, be sure to put your dishes in the sink and push your stools in.

Cole, Courtney and Annie: Yes mom, yes K.K., sure mommy.

Annie: Courtney didn't put her plate in the sink.

Courtney: Annie didn't push her stool in.

And once everyone clears out of the kitchen to go brush their teeth, I look around to see that all the plates are still on the table and none of the stools are pushed in.

These are the moments when my big, gushy heart feels shriveled-up and worn-out and ticked-off and fed-up and ready for them to go to school.

Not only that, but I wish school was year-round and that it started at 7:00 a.m. and ended at 7 p.m.

Comments

[Cate O'Malley]

I can absolutely, totally relate. I feel during the rougher moments (particularly the witching hour which, as a single mom, is even harder) that I am counting down to bedtime, theirs and mine. The good days are so very good. And the bad days, well, are not.

[allison]

wait a minute.....were you in my house this morning? i swear i have the same stuff going on over here. and I have almost the exact same picture of my girls. i took it for the same reason, and even did a scrapbook page on how I want to remember moments like that when we are all on each other's nerves. ;)

[Jen S]

love it! Totally normal in my world. Just be thankful for those big gushy moments and that you caught it...the cost of them = all the others! :)

[Heather Topich]

LOL. I'm sorry, Karen, but I'm really glad these things don't just happen to me.

[Kerstin]

Same scene. Other continent. ;D

[Robin]

My heart... the Big Gushy one that gets shriveled up too... LOVES YOUR POSTS!!!

I adored the line about the hairbrush... I have 3 girls (2 with hair right now)... :)

[Julie Pilch]

Karen its because you are brave enough to put it out there that all of us feel normal! Nearly every day I have the same situation with my three and I am almost thanking the teachers for taking them off my hands!! However on those rare days when everyone has got on I feel like its all been worth it xxx

[misty]

so funny and so real!

[a]

This is totally our house too!!!

[Kelli]

With one kid recently moved out and the other turning 16 this weekend, I would love to have a few of those mornings and the big gushy moments too.

[Tammy Kay]

Karen, believe me I homeschool and half the time I wish I could drop mine off from 7-7 too! lol

[Erin P]

Ok, so I don't normally comment on blogs and I am a cyber stalker of yours, but this is funny. Only funny because this goes on daily in my house. In relation, I'm crying for you on the inside. Also in relation, I'm laughing on the outside.
Love your picture and your blog. And better yet, your faith and your cute family.
Keep up the good work in all regards!

[Mary Jo Griego]

I think EVERY mother can relate to blog!

[Kelly C]

I'm glad I'm not the only one! That's hilarious, and made me laugh out loud. I need to document some of my crazed moments like this too. Kids....

[kristen]

with 3 boys only 17 months (and 6 mins) apart, i am currently counting down the days until they start school (pre-k & kindergarten). you won't catch me crying with the other moms on that first day of school lol! 7 to 7 sounds good to me :) love your blog!

[Kim P]

This morning I told the kids that after 140+ days of getting ready for school, they really should know exactly what they need to do and when they need to do it by in order to be out the door at the right time. So from now until the end of the school year (about another 5 weeks...help me... ;-) if daddy or I have to nag or stop kids pushing other kids' buttons or remind them a million times (or more than once....) what they need to be doing, they will be ineligible for an after school treat (cookie, popsicle, etc.). My 5 1/2 year old turned around to look at me and said, "What does ineligible mean?". When I use big words for her, she knows I must be serious. ha ha. We'll see. I hope they get treats every day until school gets out because the usual morning routine is way too OLD! And my heart can only get shriveled up so much. So....I hear ya!!! Love the kids of course, but why are the big gushy heart moments so far fewer than the shriveled up heart moments?!?! It makes them that much more special and the reason we need to document it on a little piece of photo paper! Love your real life stories. Have a great weekend!

[Tonya Dirk]

A big AMEN to your very last sentence! :)

[Jolene]

Thanks for giving me a chuckle! I can sooo relate! Great post.

[Rose]

Ok--THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! It often seems that all I read or see it perfect bliss! I feel so less than!

I stopped doing my daughters hair when she was in third grade because she was a screamer. It was so awful every single day. After I broke the second brush over her head I knew that her hair was NOT worth our relationship! I have rarely done her hair since---many days she still looks like an orphan. However, she is starting to get so much better!

Thanks again! I needed a good does of laughter and a reality check!!!!

[Coreen]

AMEN!

[kat-in-texas]

But the picture sure is cute and sweet!!!

[lauren]

precious picture. but our days here aren't always sunshine and puppies either. i just remind myself when it is a bad day that this too shall pass.

[Terri]

Glad its not just me who has days like that!! I can so relate.

[Paige]

You will love reading back on that one day. My word it was funny. Thank you for making me feel normal (esp about the yr round school, 7-7! Ha!!)

[Tera]

you. make. me. laugh. :o) hope your weekend sounds much better!!

[Kim Hastie]

Me too, !!!!!

[kate]

laugh...sigh...exhale... amen... right there with you!

[Erin]

LOL!! After the day I had yesterday, I'm so glad to know that I am not the only one that experiences feelings like that! Thanks for making me feel normal!

[Manon Keir]

sounds so so familiar!! lol

[Ingrid]

It's an universal item. My kids, here in the Netherlands, act exactly the same. It's a relief to read your post today. ;-)

[{vicki}]

I'll go about my day feeling pretty good after reading this!

[Nancy Boothe]

Karen, did I ever tell you I just LOVE you? :-)

[Gretta]

I gotta know.....did you make the canopy over Courtney's bed? Any advice, if so? My daughter has a super old iron bed that my husband restored. I love it!! Her friend has a cheezy Cinderella sleigh bed with a canopy and our daughter is now asking for one just like it for her upcoming birthday. When I saw the picture, it made me think "I could maybe do that!". I love your blog and my husband is tired of hearing my reasons of why we need to move to Oregon. :) I think I just want snippets of your life. Thanks!!

[Anita G.]

I love reading all the comments! And I love reading your blog posts!! My daughters were like that at that age and they still are now only now it's about stuff like why does the 17yr old get to date and talk to boys on the phone and the 13yr old doesn't!! :) I do really love hearing them laugh when they are downstairs playing Wii together or just being silly...esp since the oldest will be graduating next year....much too soon! :(

[Cathy]

Outloud giggle!

[val]

That last sentence made me laugh. Oh, Karen, you are not alone.

[Bernadette @b3hd]

I love posts like this. It is so easy in blogland to get caught up in the perfect patina that we often miss the hard knocks that make moments like the one you captured all the more special. I mean seriously. How special/unique/different would that photo and moment be IF that was your everyday? Probably not much. Thanks for keeping it real. Always.

Bernadette
www.b3hd.blogspot.com

[Rachel Millington]

Dude, you are awesome! I love your blog. So much photo inspiration but your writing makes me smile and laugh and go awwwwww! Thank you for brightening my day, I appreciate it xXx

[May]

DOn't we get tired and want them to go to school and go to bed then we miss them when they do!

[abercrombie españa]

Dejé de hacer mi pelo hijas cuando estaba en tercer grado porque ella era una llorona. Era tan horrible todos los días. Después de que estalló el segundo cepillo sobre su cabeza sabía que su pelo no era digno de nuestra relación! Pocas veces he hecho desde los días de su pelo --- muchos que todavía se ve como un huérfano. Sin embargo, ella está empezando a llegar mucho mejor!

[Jennifer]

OK - I just discovered your blog. And I love the way you write. And, my house is just like yours (minus a few kids)!
I'll be seriously considering your workshop, too.