A Stolen Scooter

So this 9 year old of mine got her scooter stolen from school yesterday.  She was there for an after school activity (until 4:15, so not late), and she and her friend left their scooters by the front door.  When they were finished and went out to go home both of their scooters were gone.  She came home with tears in her eyes asking why someone would take something that didn't belong to them.  It was a hard thing for me to see, and an even harder thing for me to explain.  I told her that sometimes people do things without thinking about who it will hurt, and we talked about keeping her scooter in a safer place next time.  This isn't the first time we've had scooters stolen from school (different school, 2 years ago), and it's so sad.  It's sad that someone would steal something from a child.  And it was likely another child, and that child will grow up to be an adult.  And that makes me even more sad.

And what makes me the most sad is knowing that this will not be the last time someone hurts her.  She will have her share of disappointments, and a few broken hearts, and the normal aches and pains that life brings.  And I wish I could protect her from it all.  And I wish I could make sure that she stays safe, emotionally as much as physically.  And I wish I could find a way to keep her from having the heartbreaking realization that life can be really, really hard.

This is why it is so important for me to teach her to turn to our loving Father in Heaven when life gets heavy.  To teach her to pray, really and truly and deeply pray.  To teach her to cry out to Him in her darkest moments.  Because He is the only one who will always, no matter what, no matter when, no matter where, always always be there for her.  For her.  He knows her and loves her and will be waiting for her to reach out to Him.  Just as He is waiting for you and me.  Whether it is over a stolen scooter, or a high school boyfriend, or the betrayal of a college roommate, or a difficult marriage, or a struggling child.  He is waiting to comfort and carry.

We just have to let Him.

F PLUS

 Have you ever had a day you would like to do over?  Not because it was amazing and wonderful, but because you had some glaring not great moments that you would like to erase and try again?  That was me yesterday.  I went to bed feeling like there were so many moments that I would have gotten a big fat F on.  Good thing we have tomorrows.  And I'm sorrys.  And loving kids and husbands who forgive.  My sweet 2 year old has gotten in this phase where she will spontaneously come put her hands on both of my cheeks, look into my eyes, and then slowly kiss me on the cheek and smile.  I feel like I might die from loving her too much every time she does it.  It has a way of snapping me out of my crazy and bringing me back to the moment where I can recognize what is important and let the other things go. 

So today is my chance to redeem myself from the day of F's I had yesterday.  To choose not to listen to the voice of failure in my head, and to try again.  And again.  And again. And to remind myself that it's ok that I am not perfect.  I don't need to be perfect.  I just need to be trying.  And I am really really good at trying.

Groceries Smosheries

Am I the only one in the world who hates grocery shopping?  I seriously hate it.  HATE HATE HATE.  Even looking at the picture I posted gives me anxiety.    I mean, does anyone's cart really look like that?? Where are the Doritos??!

Grocery shopping stresses me out.  Big time.  I feel like I have to have all my meals planned and know all the ingredients I need, and that is overwhelming to me.  So I put it off and put it off until my children are eating shoelaces and ketchup for dinner.

At that point I run to the store just for the basics, and end up coming home with chocolate peanut butter, hot pink sugar cookies, and a random cut of meat that I know nothing about, but it was on sale, so why not. I manage to spend a billion dollars at the store and somehow WE STILL HAVE NOTHING TO EAT.  How does that happen?? It's like I'm living some sick joke over and over again while slowly starving to death.

So I experiment with the on sale mystery meat for dinner and my kids end up complaining and making gagging noises and asking if they can please have shoelaces instead.  It's a vicious cycle.

If I ever become a katrillionaire (it's a real word) I will have an in-house cook who does all the meal planning and grocery shopping.  And dishes.  Obvi.

Until then, I will be over here writing on this blog to avoid going to the grocery store.  Good thing we have a lot of shoelaces.