Hands so Full.........

I had one of those days. I got up bright and early and no I did not jump on the elliptical. I took a shower. I enjoy a good shower like it is some kind of vacation in an eternally relaxed setting, until I hear screams or someone rips the shower curtain open begging for discipline to be handed down at the horrible wrong-doing of a sibling, or the inevitable 'I really need to poop!'. AHH, peaceful relaxed feeling GONE!
Thankfully this shower had none of those indecencies forced upon my vacation. I was dressed and had makeup on in time to take my handsome boys to school. I was able to stop at the grocery store and grab an ad for this week so that I might thoughtfully plan what I might be getting this week according to what was budget friendly. The store manager was nice enough to unlock the door five minutes early and suggest that with this beautiful weather I ought to think of something to BBQ. We are privileged enough in this small little town of ours that even ones shopping patterns and the things that you buy on a regular basis are noted and when ringing up your total it is customary to be asked 'What, no diet coke this time?!, as if I must be leaving out something vitally important to my existence. To which I usually just smile nicely (like my Mom taught me to do) and say 'Nope, not this time.'
Ok so back on track, my day. I came home and Craig and Bo left for Nelma's to do some fence fixing. The girls slept in like little angels (I'm painting a picture here) and I was able to fix them a healthy and nutritious breakfast. As I was dishing it up they came out and got up to the table (I'm so not kidding. And you should know, this NEVER happens this way). My mornings are for some reason or another (totally different post) usually fairly hectic and loud and rushed and full of mayhem and disorder (I'm painting another picture, aren't I?). The girls all ate their breakfast without complaint and I was able to dress them and do hair and have some time to spare before heading out to get Sidon from school.
I loaded up the kids and was able to get my mail as we headed down to the school. We picked up Sidon, ran back to the house to grab coupons for Krissi and went back to the store to purchase some highly nutritious mac and cheese for lunch. My children were really having an awesome day, they were being polite (even to each other!), well behaved, and appreciative. I pulled up to the store and began to unload my brood and there happened to be a man (it is not nice to say that someone looks slimy but he did) standing on the sidewalk watching me. As we filed into the store he commented (in a rude kind of way) 'Do you think you have enough kids?'. Mind you, I didn't have Sawyer with me, it was just Sidon and the girls. Well, I felt my eyebrows rise and my shoulders set and if the eyes didn't say it all, the tone of my voice did (Oh, also something I learned from my Mom) 'I guess that depends on who you ask.' Making it clear that I wasn't asking him! As I loaded Tallis into the cart Molly crawled into the bottom half and Maggie stuck her little hand in my back pocket and Sidon walked along beside. What a blessing, if someone is going to comment on my kids at least they were being really, REALLY good. Every single person in the grocery store made some comment or another about how full my hands were, what a big brood you have, here comes the thundering herd (the slimy guy), I didn't know you had another one (Tallis), are they all yours, and isn't there one more? The last woman looked shocked, 'You have five kids!' to which I responded 'I'm aware of that.'. One thing I have managed to do in all of this mayhem is still have a grasp on how many kids I have, thank the Lord for that!
I'm not sure what it was about today that made us stick out or was making people visibly count heads?
We walked to school later to get Sawyer and as we were walking home I turned around and there was a little girl walking a few paces back all alone. I asked her if she would like to join our parade and walk with us to her turnoff. She smiled and said sure, like it was some kind of privilege to get to walk with us. I feel that way, privileged. Privileged to be the mom of five, Yes, five kids. Privileged to have my hands so full. Privileged to have a front row seat to all of the memories we are making and all of the crazy, pull your hair out, cheese falling off your cracker moments too.
I say this to people regularly and often, 'Our hands are full. It's a really good kind of full!'