Oy

Home improvement is no easy task.

ESPECIALLY when you are frantically painting the entire inside of your house.

Before your baseboards and hardwood floors are installed.

And you have three 2-year olds running amuck.

That you are trying to corral in one area of the house.

And they have figured out how to take down the baby gate.

By running in to it like a bull runs in to a matador's flag.

And your husband is trying to shoo them off the fourth step of the ladder with his foot.

While he stands precariously perched on the sixth step.

And once you sit down to play with something outside, that you think will keep them happily entertained, they are distracted in seconds and want nothing more than to go inside.

Before you can haul your 200+ pound self up, they are opening the sliding glass door and running in to the house.

And touching the walls.

And running their hands through their hair.

Last night, we hosted a small group which delayed the completion of painting our family room by several hours.

Rather than capitalize on the opportunity of having our children out of the way - we met with our fellow parishioners and discussed how piling too much on one's plate can cause stress.

Kind of like the stress that comes from hosting a small group when you should be painting.

Before having new baseboards and floors installed.

When you are 8-months pregnant.

Or washing dishes, that could just be thrown in to an appliance and washed for you, provided that appliance worked.

And you don't get to bed until 1 AM.

With good intentions of getting out of bed to finish painting before the children are awake.

But then, you oversleep and don't get up until 7 AM.

To the sound of a child climbing on top of their dresser.

Cranking up music on their CD player as loud as it will go.

And you're trying to prepare breakfast, keep the children out of your husband's way who is trying to finish painting, get them dressed, pack a picnic lunch and make plans to go to the zoo.

Because the children love the zoo.

And they really need an outing.

After having watched every Pixar film in the past 24 hours.

Because that was the only thing that seemed to keep them out of the way.

And then realizing that YOU can't go to the zoo by yourself, because you have to pee every three minutes.

And you remembered the doctor telling you that your edema is bad and you need to stay off your feet as much as possible during the day.

So, instead, you stop your husband from painting and send HIM to the zoo.

With strict instructions to get the children really, really tired so that when he comes home from the zoo, they will sleep soundly for several hours.

And then, HE can finish painting the rest of the house.

While you finish the ten loads of laundry that need to be washed today.

And go to the grocery store.

And try putting the house back together.

Before the triplet playdate you are suppose to host tomorrow.

For twelve 2-year olds.

After a conference call that you have to take at 8 AM.

At some point, you'll need to drop off the family room curtains that need to be dry cleaned.

Because you've learned that washing "dry clean only" curtains yourself is a bad idea.

Unless you want your curtains to be 5-inches shorter than before.

At least you got the baby blanket finished for Madeleine.

Now you have to mail it.

To Canada.

But instead of doing any of these things, you're updating your blog.

Thinking about all that you have to do.

And how wonderful it will look, when finished.

Yet wondering if you can do it all, since you are only functioning at 20% capacity.

Or, if Charlie can do it.

While you sit back.

With your feet up.

Eating a chocolate chip cookie.

Dreaming about the day mom finally arrives to help.