Flying Solo in Lilongwe
Chad is off to South Africa for a meeting and then dermatology appointment. Because of the flight limitations, it's going to be a whopping 12 days of me and the 4 kids flying solo! I admit, I cried all the way home from the airport. I wanted to suggest that the IMB should send all of us wives to a spa to recover from this meeting, but since there's hardly enough money to pay for fuel to do our jobs, I doubt that will happen! I comforted myself to sleep last night by planning a get-away to a bed-and-breakfast for just me once he gets back. In a 1600 sq. foot house with no sound-proofing, it's the only way I'll ever get to sleep past 5:30am for YEARS to come!
Yesterday I kept myself busy by chasing children from one mess to another. In my 16-hr day, I pulled Omara away from playing in the toilet, confiscated a machete from Isaac, changed 4 poopy diapers, taught Isaac the lesson that "It's not ok to sit on your sister's head," found Ethan after he ran away from home (because his sister won their bike-vs-scooter race!), interrupted a beating Ethan was about to get with a golf-club at the hands of his frustrated brother before any damage was inflicted, helped 4 children take 5 baths, rescued every one of our bowls that Isaac took outside and filled with mud before any were chewed up by the dogs, reorganized 4 drawers of linens and clothes after Omara unpacked them, and cooked dinner with a crying child attached to each leg. You might think I must have been laying on the couch eating bonbons and ignoring everything else to have that much going on, but no. In fact, I'm convinced it's a conspiracy, with the kids trying to see just how long my rope is before I fall off the sanity-wagon!
When it was all over and I finally got all 4 asleep, I stood over their beds in amazement that such precious, beautiful children can inflict such chaos! Then I collapsed in bed myself, so that I could get up and do it all again. So far today, it's noon and there have only been 2 poops and 1 bath necessary, so things are looking up!
Yesterday I kept myself busy by chasing children from one mess to another. In my 16-hr day, I pulled Omara away from playing in the toilet, confiscated a machete from Isaac, changed 4 poopy diapers, taught Isaac the lesson that "It's not ok to sit on your sister's head," found Ethan after he ran away from home (because his sister won their bike-vs-scooter race!), interrupted a beating Ethan was about to get with a golf-club at the hands of his frustrated brother before any damage was inflicted, helped 4 children take 5 baths, rescued every one of our bowls that Isaac took outside and filled with mud before any were chewed up by the dogs, reorganized 4 drawers of linens and clothes after Omara unpacked them, and cooked dinner with a crying child attached to each leg. You might think I must have been laying on the couch eating bonbons and ignoring everything else to have that much going on, but no. In fact, I'm convinced it's a conspiracy, with the kids trying to see just how long my rope is before I fall off the sanity-wagon!
When it was all over and I finally got all 4 asleep, I stood over their beds in amazement that such precious, beautiful children can inflict such chaos! Then I collapsed in bed myself, so that I could get up and do it all again. So far today, it's noon and there have only been 2 poops and 1 bath necessary, so things are looking up!
You are doing such a fantastic job, pray today is a little less eventful for you. alison x
ReplyDeleteI got tired just reading that! It seems like whenever the daddy is away things like this always happen. Keep up the good work!
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