The “First Day of School”

Today was Elle’s first day at Vacation Bible School (VBS) at Bethany Church…and what an interesting day it was.

She was exhausted when I woke her up this morning and showed signs of protesting when I reminded her that she got to go to VBS today.  She JUMPED out of bed.  I don’t know if I have EVER seen her that excited to get out of bed.

The next 30 minutes went well.  Got in the car.  Spilled only a small amount of coffee.  Got to Neterer’s.  Got Elle out of the car and comfortable with Sara.  Got back into the car and Gabe had HUGE alligator tears.  Apparently he thought Elle and I were leaving him in the car for the day.

Silly boy.

Then we began our trek to Eden Prairie, Mama being overly happy to perk Gabe up a bit.  By the time we got to our exit off of 212 onto Prairie Center Drive he was as right as rain (Name the movie).

About 5 stop lights down on Flying Cloud Drive I realized Gabe no longer had his monkey.  After asking Gabe many variations of “Where is your monkey?” or “Did you throw your monkey out the window?” and his reply resembling German, which I don’t speak, I came to the conclusion that it was somewhere between 212 and our current location.  My gut sank.

Mom math begins.  It will take me 5 more minutes to get Gabe to daycare.  5 minutes to get him in the door and settled.  I have to be to work by 8:15 at the absolute latest.  That means I have 15 minutes to drive around Eden Prairie and find a blue monkey (If two trains leave train stations 100 miles apart.  Train A is traveling at 5 MPH and train B is traveling 30 MPH, who will find the blue monkey first?).

I get back in my car and drive a little too fast back the way we came which conveniently enough, is back towards work; the whole time scanning the opposite side of the road for a small blue monkey.  I get all the way back to the exit ramp to get on 5 PRAYING the monkey wasn’t forced to attempted the flying monkey test on 212 (I was sure he made it off the freeway) when I spotted the little guy. 

There, sitting in the middle of the road was the blue monkey!

The light turned green and I went as fast as I could through the light and into the tiny parking lot for the radio station that sits oh-so-quietly at the corned.  I jumped out of my car and TRIED to wait patiently for the light to turn red.

One, two cars came to a stop narrowly missing Banana-Spaghetti (the monkey).  A large, red SUV crept every so slowly and cautiously, it’s driver eyeing this crazy woman watching where his tires were going. 

He stops. 

I wave.

He acquired a confused look.

I run out into the street and present the only slightly dirty monkey as evidence of my crazy gimmick. 

He chuckles.

I sheepishly run back to my car, elated that I have found my son’s lovie. 

The world can end now and I’d die a happy Mama.

But that isn’t the end to this glorious day.  Oh no.

Banana-Spaghetti sat on my desk at work until I picked Elle up from daycare as a monument for what I accomplished before 8:15 this morning.

At 11:30 I went to pick Elle up from VBS.  She was exhausted!  She had SO much fun and was so tired she didn’t know what to do with her self.  Thank you to Michelle Winger, Sara Neterer, and the multitude of women that make VBS possible.  And thank you for running my child ragged.  She ran to me extremely happy to see me but dragging her feet the entire 5 feet to me.

The afternoon was one of the slowest I have ever experienced.  I was so excited to see my kids and hear of the adventures they had for the rest of the day.

Elle crawled in our bed when we got home and watched "Up", hardly moving.

Gabe ran around with only his diaper, and barely that, due to a nice diaper rash and was rather happy to be a naked little boy.

And Banana-Spaghetti…well he had a bath so that he could be properly cuddled in bed tonight.  After looking like this….

 He needed some time in the tub.

Normally I'd take the tub time for myself, but with the day our family had today, I have so much love in my heart I have a love high.  I don't need a tub to relax.

Thank you Jesus.