Falling Asleep on the Job

Okay, so I'm ashamed to admit it but today, I fell asleep on the job, literally. I've been feeling a bit on the tired side lately probably due to the fact that our schedule has been really full. Steve is wrapping up his school year, Isaac's last day of preschool was today and there was a party, and we've just been doing so many things. Normally I'm tired. I think every mother is perpetually tired. We just get used to the feeling and really tired becomes normal. However, I think my fatigue has been getting the best of me because today, I fell asleep not in the middle of naptime but in the middle of a game of Bingo with Isaac. Luckily the younger two were already asleep and it was the time of the day when Isaac and I do something together that he wants to do (a post on that another time...I've been learning a lot from our daily play time). I started off strong, then I laid down in the middle of the game and before I knew it, my head had hit the carpet and my eyes were closing and second later I was out. Isaac kept right on playing but as soon as he noticed I was asleep he said, "Mom! Wake up! We're playing BINGO Mom and I just got the yellow square." Oh what, is this a dream?! Oh back to reality, I'm playing Bingo with my son. But this scratchy carpet just feels so nice. I was able to make it through the last few minutes of the game where I subsequently got beat for the fourth day in a row by my three year old (no, I don't let him win; he just beats me) and then laid down for more precious sleep. Aaahhh...I couldn't help it. I just could not rally myself. Isaac woke me up again about fifteen minutes later and proceeded to tell me that while I had been napping, he'd been playing trains. Luckily, he's not my mischevious child. I felt so guilty but surprisingly rested. That's when I noticed all the gunk sticking to my face as I peeled myself off the floor...more guilt, I need to vacuum. And really, I just vacuumed. But that's an aside. I don't think I've ever done such a blatant, little midday snooze like this before at least not when one of my children was awake. Yet what's a mom to do huh?

Now that I'm in the mode of admitting things like this little catnap, I'll let you in on yet another crime I committed just yesterday and how I got caught completely red-handed. It was the crime of stealing. And it wasn't just stealing anything, it was stealing Isaac's snack that he later told me that he had "saaaveed from preschool". This is a major crime. I was cleaning out his backpack around dinnertime and I noticed he had some really yummy goldfish crackers in a ziploc bag. I thought, "Wow. I'm starving and these look so good." So I ate a few not thinking much of it. Then Caleb, who always sniffs out food, came wheeling around the corner with his very infamous question of "Whatcha eating Mommy?" and I just stopped and stared. How do I answer? I don't know. I don't want to lie, yet I also don't want to share. Hmmm...moral dilemma. Then Isaac showed up and noticed it was his snack. Then my husband showed up and they all stared accusingly at me as I finished crunching the fishies and wiped the crumbs off my mouth. "Ummmm..." I replied. "I found these fishies in Isaac's backpack and I thought I'd just have a few, I mean all of them." Anyway, I already told you Isaac's reaction. He was crushed. He had been "saving" them. Later on, my husband teased me endlessly about this and I realized how totally silly I can be. I explained to him that I literally don't have time to eat sometimes and have to stoop to these acts here and there. My breakfast usually isn't consumed until midmorning and my lunch consists of half-eaten sandwiches or I eat after the little ones are down for a nap. No wonder I find myself starving. My husband asked why I don't just eat (he's very logical). "Because!" I answered very dramatically. "I'm doing STUFF." I couldn't really enumerate to him (in a very short time that is) what all that stuff is but, it definitely keeps me from eating sometimes. But really, I have to laugh. What a blessed time in my life. Later on, when my children are all grown, what am I going to do with myself? I need to thank God that I am so busy and tired from loving and rearing little ones. Even if it means I'm missing a bit of sleep (okay a lot) and eating slobbered on pb and j's (I've stooped pretty low these days). A bunch of smiles from my kiddos and a kiss from my husband reminds me that I'm one lucky lady.

And lastly, it's a good thing the Bible states that "Love covers a multitude of sins." Isaac very graciously gave me my "Get out of Jail Free" card by bestowing on me a kiss and a smile, and I was back in everyone's good graces quite quickly. Who knows what tomorrow may bring. I promise, I'll try very hard to be on my best behavior.