Yesterday, we were finally ALL ready to go to the grocery store. It took forever to wake up, eat breakfast, stop playing "monster fingers" (see Exhibit A here) get dressed, find Snoopy, get our coats on, let the dog out, get Josie's blankie out of the dryer, get Josie in the car, get Sadie in the car... oh, wait. While I was securing Josie into her carseat, Sadie took it upon herself to do a little of what I like to call "snow-wading." When I called for her to climb into her seat, she appeared with sopping wet shoes, socks, jeans, shirt, and a dogged look on her face. I was NOT happy. I had to take them BACK inside, strip Sadie's wet clothes off, completely change her outfit, try to ignore Josie's repeated pleas to me to "Hode me! Hode me!", put Sadie's shoes BACK on, put her coat BACK on, and try to explain that there is a time for everything. She knows this, because we have a kids' book about Ecclesiastes that tells us how there is a time for hellos, goodbyes, being clean and soapy, being dirty and muddy, being loud, being quiet, etc. I told her (not in my nice patient Mommy voice, I must admit, unfortunately) that when Mommy is trying really hard to get us all ready and out the door so we can make it to the grocery store before nightfall, it is NOT the time to play in the snow and get all yucky. She looks up at me and says, "Mommy... there is also a time to love. AND a time to be patient."Needless to say, I felt very guilty for letting this little irritation...well, IRRITATE me so much. Then I realized, I am being totally manipulated by someone who is not even three years old! Good grief.
