I wake up and the clock says 7:00am. I stare blurry eyed at a little boy who tells me all about a problem he is having with an older sibling. I can't help but wonder how I managed to sleep so long. For the first time in his life Finley slept twelve hours in a row! It isn't long before another little boy comes to my bedside asking for breakfast. As I sit up I ask him to go play for a minute while I get it ready. Instead he runs out to the kitchen and opens the pantry. As I round the corner to the kitchen I watch half a bag of rice krispies scatter all over the floor. I tell him to go downstairs, and remind him what I had asked him to do earlier. As I stare at the mess I immediately feel guilty for overreacting. He's just your typical hungry boy, and didn't mean to make a mess. I side step it and go on with making breakfast. While they finish eating I jump in the shower.
After everyone is fed I run showers for the older two (the other two had a bath the night before). I do Camilla's hair while Hyrum showers and before long they are both dressed and ready. Then it's Joe's turn. He throws his clothes around and goofs off while I try to convince him to put them on. Three down, one to go. Finley is bouncing up and down in his crib begging to be free. I wiggle him into his Sunday clothes and take him downstairs to play. I then prepare a small snack for my primary class and tuck it into my bag. The children are getting along well and I call them up for a picture. They all giggle and say "cheese" while I click away.
Daddy has finished preparing his lesson, and goes to the kitchen to make himself breakfast. Joe pokes in and out telling us how handsome he looks. The morning has been pleasant so far, but now it's crunch time. Daddy goes to get dressed and ready and I head downstairs to do my hair where I can keep an eye on Finley. As I turn on the curling iron I ask the older three to get their shoes and coats on. Finley runs around playing while I try to put some curls in my still damp hair. Just as I'm finishing up I can hear the children stomping around upstairs. I unplug the iron and scoop up Finley, while calling for them to get in the van.
As I go into the kitchen to make a quick bottle for Finley I pause and sigh at the sight before me. It turns out the children weren't just stomping around, they were stomping the rice krispies on the floor. There is now a powdery mess all over the kitchen, and no time left to clean it up. It sticks to my tights and I tip toe through it and fill the bottle. Daddy wrangles the crew into seat belts while I run around turning out lights and putting the last few things into the diaper bag. Out of frustration I can't help but utter those words that I promise myself I'll never say when I wake up each Sunday, "I hate Sundays!" I open the door, turn around and pause to make sure nothing has been forgotten. Then we're off!
The littles rush into the building, hang their coats and head to the bathroom. Daddy goes to save us a seat. I follow them down the hall as they run to keep up with a giggling Finley who had a head start. I scoop him up onto my hip and follow them all into the bathroom. They are thankfully independent, so it's just a squirmy Finley that I have to hold onto while they finish up. Joe is the first one done and bolts out of the bathroom. I call him back and he quickly returns smirking (he musn't have gone far). Just before everyone is ready he goes to bolt again. I walk quickly to grab his hand and end up slipping on the tile floor. The shoes I am wearing make it feel like I'm walking on ice. The children freeze and looked at me wide-eyed. Thankfully, Finley was propped on the hip that didn't hit the floor. I quickly stand and compose myself and then speak to the children in a sharp whisper as tears sting my eyes. They are quick to obey and hold each others hands as they walk reverently to our seat. I stay behind in the bathroom and wipe away the tears as quick as I can while those dreaded three words crept into the back of my mind. Mike meets me in the hall as I make my way back and a kind lady in the ward compliments us on how cute our kids looked walking hand in hand.
Daddy takes Finley out to put him to sleep while the opening song plays. I sing as much as I can while snapping my fingers at the older two who decide to fight in the corner. Someone gets elbowed, another one takes a crayon. I breath deeply as the tears begin to sting again. Thankfully everyone settles in and the rest of the meeting goes well. The talks are great and a few of the things said really hit home for me.
We have almost a full class of busy Sunbeams which always makes Sunday's extra tiring. They are sitting well today and we make a train of kids to get them down the hall to class. Finley joins us, soaking wet. Daddy figured he leaked out of his freshly changed cloth diaper, but I'm still suspicious. With no diapers to be found, I send Daddy a pull-up to change him into.
As I pick up the other kids from class Joseph is whining for food. He hangs off my hand as we walk, practically dying of starvation. When we get into the van he asks for a snack, but I'm fresh out. I explain that we will be home in a few minutes, which only makes him cry louder. Frustrated, I ask him if he sees a fridge, or cheese, or peanut butter, or anything else in the van that I can make him. He continues to whine, and I am grateful we don't live far from the church!
When we get home chaos erupts. The older two, sensing my frustration, tell me they are hanging up their coats for me. I rush into the kitchen with my jacket still on and prepare my go-to snack, cheese and crackers. They sit silently and eat, too hungry to talk. I take a little breather and then get lunch going. Poor Daddy has a splitting head ache, but still manages to recount a funny story. I listen as he tells me about losing Fin in the hall and searching the church for him. In just a few minutes he had managed to grab the plunger from the ladies bathroom and was found by somebody else in the mens bathroom. Ah, it was a good laugh.
The rest of our afternoon and evening was thankfully relaxing. We played with the kids, snuggled up to a movie, and ate yummy food. Life is crazy with so many littles, but we adore it all and can't help but feel thankful.
