Thursday, November 13, 2008

Communal living done badly

Hello to all who are still reading this blog...

I hope all of you are doing well. We are still here in Virginia and coping with communal life as best as we know how. We are learning what it means to be flexible.

Meal time is interesting. One would think that, since we aren't having to cook the meal and we don't have to clean up afterwards, it would be easy. Things don't always work out like they should...or like we expect them to. The truth is that corralling three children under 5 in a cafeteria line while trying to juggle a tray with 5 plates full of food through a throng of starving people is unpleasant at best. Then the task of trying to get all 3 children to eat the food that you just fought for while doing your best to appear like a good Christian parent is simply exhausting.

So while my table has Jacob screaming that he doesn't have a spoon, jello flying through the air, Maddie and Isabel fighting over the last roll, and enough cracker crumbs on the floor to create a life-sized sculpture of Kilimanjaro, the family at the next table is happily singing "How Great Thou Art" while eating a well-balanced meal from each of the 4 food groups. Ugh! We then drag our children, who now say they are hungry, from public view and wait for the invitation to appear on a Dr. Phil special as the example of how NOT to parent.

Well I have to go...it's dinner time again.


6 comments:

Africa08 said...

Like I said "The secret to having your life improve with children is...DO NOT HAVE MORE CHILDREN!!!

-Your Tanzanian Brother

Paige said...

You forgot the part about Jacob putting his face in his food, and when he chewed up the apple and spit it on the floor, while my "perfectly" behaved son laughed and laughed, encouraging Jacob towards more deviant behavior.

Dining with the Kings is fun!

Paige :-)

sewking said...

Horn Creek comes to mind, but we only had to do it for one week each year. This too shall pass.
Wanted to know how the shot adventure went, must have been exciting also.
Good hearing what you are doing.
Love, Mom

Unknown said...

Hey all! It sounds like you're having an adventure there! We're really looking forward to spending time with y'all at Christmas. Keep blogging...it's fun to read what you're up to.
Love, Kira and Brian

auntie erika said...

Ah the joys of parenthood! Keep the stories coming, we love a laugh at your expense!!

Love,
Erika

Esther Chong said...

Hello to my best small group leaders :) lol