The Perfect Date

Haven't been on a date with your husband in 8 months or so? Here's the solution:

When the clip board is past around in Relief Society advertising a concert with the Portland Mormon Chorus and Symphony, don't wait to ask your husband about it...just order 2 tickets. He'll appreciate that you took the initiative to make it happen. Cause then he didn't have to. Done.
Get the babysitter arranged.
Done.
Night before the big date: Go to the church Christmas Party and stay out WAY past your kids bedtime so that they'll be extremely charming the next day!
Done.
It will all be fine. The 3 oldest kids will be asleep before the babysitter even arrives and she'll just have the pleasure of June's company.
Lucky for her.
Day of the concert: Grouchy kids, grumpy parents, too many chores on the "to do list", etc.
Mom says, "I don't care if you're tired and grouchy...you're not going to ruin this night for me! We're going on this date!"
*Normally, the boys don't take naps and are in bed by 7. But they are so tired and grumpy that I'm tempted to let them nap. But no! Then they'll be up for the babysitter and I just can't let her have to deal with all 4 kids...at bedtime! No, no naps!*
3pm: Dad takes the boys to the hardware store for a few items on the "to do list" and to get the boys out of the house. He's gone for about 10 minutes when the following occurs.

Nora is happily watching a show and I hear June screaming upstairs, so I run to get her.

In my younger days, when I was skinnier and didn't wear p.j's everyday, I was told, "you're so tall. you should be a model." As if that's the only requirement. Well, my response was always, "Oh, I'm much too graceful for that."

I'm quickly going to retrieve June. Quickly because I didn't put the gate up at the stairs when I came up and I didn't want Nora to follow me. In my haste, I forgot that I have size 11 feet and an abundant amount of "grace." So what happened?! Tell us already! OK! June was asleep in a bouncy chair next to my bed. I ran in the room and kicked the bed post - HARD! And in one fluid motion flung onto the bed. And as I'm trying not to scream out in pain I think that the loud crack I heard was either the bed post or my foot. I'm guessing that the bed won that contest. But because Pat isn't home and June is still crying and Nora downstairs able to come up at anytime, I still have to pretend I'm fine. Nope, the pain is awful! I hobbled to find the phone to call Pat and have him hurry home. And then I managed to scoot down the stairs to make sure Nora stays safe. That stubborn girl. Why won't she learn how to use the stairs safely?! She thinks that should be able to walk up them like her brothers. She can't. She falls a lot. It hurts. Doesn't seem to matter.

What about the date? The tickets? The babysitter?!

Because I'm the mom, I still have to function. I still have to change diapers and make dinner and get kids to bed. Of course Pat helped. He's awesome. But with 4 little ones, it takes two people. The kids were still rotten but we were able to get them to bed early. Pat went and picked up the babysitter while I showered and got ready. We still left together, without kids. We just had a different destination. The 24 hour Urgent Care. We still sat next to each other and held hands while we watched some gross Law and Order. Then went for x-rays to confirm 2 broken bones. How Romantic!

All along I was worried about the kids ruining the date. Guess I took care of that just fine. In my last post where I was whining about Pat working too much, the last sentence was me saying I needed a break. Not literally!!

I'll spare pictures cause no one needs to see those - yuck! I didn't need a cast. Just a lot of tape and a special shoe. A real cute number that is opened toed. Perfect for the snow yesterday when we went to church and the 25 degree weather today. I have to wear it for about a month. Suppose I should buy thicker socks? No worries. It doesn't really hurt. Until the end of the day after I've gone up and down the stairs 30 or so times. And met all the other needs around here.

*SIGH*

Maybe its better if we don't go on any dates. No Way! Ones of these days...when the kids are grown and we're empty nesters?! That would be cool.

The End