Testing

When He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. -- Job 23:10

I don't think I'm being refined by fire. I think I'm being refined by children.

So far (today), they have taught me:

1. Sometimes, there's no point in asking why. Doug and I have to remind each other of this frequently.

Doug: Why are there a dozen stuffed animals in the pantry?
Me: "Why?" Really? How long have you lived in this house?
Doug: Oh, right. I forgot.

2. If you have the sofas professionally steam-cleaned, someone WILL develop a stomach virus.

3. It can take 15 minutes to walk out the front door. And eventually, this begins to feel normal to you! Trying to get two children to put their shoes and jackets on and walk to the car... it's like herding cats. They wander off in every direction, get distracted a dozen times in the process of putting one shoe on, and decide they are starving just after you lock the front door. And I only have two of these people!

4. You can continually put food into your mouth, chew, swallow, and repeat, for 30 minutes, with NO visible results.

5. Quiet children can be a very bad thing!

Any day now, I'll become the Golden Mommy. Aaany day now...

Note: This is tongue-in-cheek. I am in no way minimizing or mocking God's refining process.

This morning, it was around 40 degrees when we left the house. Lila got dressed in a long-sleeved t-shirt and knit capris. Eli put on shorts and a t-shirt. When I suggested that they put on pants, they declined. I said they had to wear socks, if they were not going to wear pants. At least they humored me THAT much.

This afternoon, while I was upstairs, unsuspectingly taking a shower, these poorly-dressed people decided to play outside. Where it was now only 37 degrees. And raining. To be fair, earlier in the day I did mention that they could bundle up and play outside. They just skimmed over the bundling up part. [sigh]

Tomorrow, they get to mop the entryway.

Eli is wearing socks on his hands.

At least she is wearing rain boots.

37 degrees, folks.

Gee, Honey, you're starting to look a little cold there!

This wasn't exactly what I meant when I asked Eli
to take his shoes off just inside the front door. I
thought he might go all the way in before he
plopped down. Nah! (Look at all the mud...)