From the moment the kids landed in the van all three had said, "Mom!" like three times trying to beat out their sibling to tell me whatever had happened that day. Gage was trying to tell me about a gross boy in the bathroom at the exact moment that Luke was crying about an assignment that he didn't understand while a car pool boy was trying to tell me that I didn't need to pick up his sister because she was getting a new retainer and Claire was needing praise for walking to the car herself. Sarge loves to ride it the car, so he was there too and in the course of 10 seconds the car became a zoo.
It's like I need multiple brains, arms, mouths, ears. You name it, one woman cannot possibly process all that needs to be processed. While in the midst of trying to drive the car and asking for the umpteenth time for the kids to take turns talking to me I came around a blind curve to see three kids crossing in what is quite possibly the most idiotic place possible to cross a road. I slammed on my brakes and Sarge, who had been standing on Gage's lap with his head out the window, lost his balance and fell/jumped out of the car window. Once the car stopped and I pulled over to the side I had visions of blood, broken limbs, smashed skulls. I came running into the road (in the idotic place mind you) to retrieve my little doggie. He was standing, that was a good sign, with the saddest look on his face and it was obvious he was hurting but I could not see any blood. Again a good sign. All these cars were piling up while I was trying to get to him and the kids who had caused the whole thing in the first place were telling other kids it was the most awesome thing they ever saw! AHHHHHHHH. I hated myself that even though I had picked him up gingerly I was worried he was going to bleed on me. Horrible. The second I got back in the car every child was again talking at once.
Once we got home, poor Sarge could hardly walk and it was obvious he was in pain. I was looking him over while all three kids were saying, "HEY MOM!"......"HEY MOM!"....."HEY MOM!" Then both my cell phone and my house phone rang....at the freaking same time. I was trying so hard to juggle all the balls at once but by 7:00 p.m, Tim was under the impression he had somehow ruined my day just by his mere existence and I felt so cranky and frazzled that I just wanted to hide.
Sidenote: I did hide on Sunday by the side of my bed and no one but Sarge found me for 10 blessed minutes. Hearing someone call, "Mom" in the distance is better than in your face!
Anyway the point of this post wasn't merely to complain. Although it does feel good to give voice to my woes. But I did notice some things that were positive.
First, I thought how thankful I am that we have Sarge and how I think Sarge teaches the children responsibility and compassion. I was touched that the boys wanted Sarge to have a soft place to lay so they struggled and worked for 10 minutes to bring Sarge's crate upstairs.
Second, I noted how interesting it is that Sarge has absolutely nothing to give except love but that we all value it so much that we sat around his crate talking to him and petting him and that prayers were later said for him.
Third, I'm glad that my head didn't explode. Not only would that be messy but I'm glad that the kids want me to be a part of their lives and that they think of me when they have something of import to impart.
Finally, in some sick, twisted, weird way I'm looking forward to doing it all over again this afternoon. Minus, Sarge leaping from a moving vehicle.
Sarge update: He has road rash on his paw and shoulder. He must have landed on his bum because the underneath side of his tail has no hair and the whole area looks like hamburger. It's painful to watch him walk and going to the bathroom is very difficult as you can imagine.
I'm off to the store for Dog Aspirin and a Cone of Shame (just in case he doesn't stop licking)
