A Very Good Bad Day

I think of myself as a pretty upbeat “glass is half full” kind of person most of the time, so when I admit to myself (or anyone in kicking distance) that I’m having a bad day – I probably really am having a BAD day.

Back at the end of March I was having one.

It started with me screaming at the top of my lungs at the kids on the way to school, which is not only a way I am never proud of acting, but is absolutely the worst way to start any day.  They were cranky, I overreacted, and we all ended up in tears before eight in the morning.  By the time they were stomping off to class, I was driving to work disgusted with myself for being the worst mom in the history of the world.  I probably wasn’t – but it sure felt that way.

I can’t recall now what was going on at work to add to the awful day, but it’s not hard to imagine that I was probably feeling overwhelmed.  We all have those days.  I was also worrying myself sick over what to do about Charlie, who was partially miserable those days because he hated his after school care situation.  At ten years old, he really didn’t want to be IN daycare anymore, and I couldn’t say I blamed him.  That morning I decided to put out the word to a few mom friends who drive to/from the same school to see if anyone would be interested in driving him home from school every day, in exchange for a little gas/pocket money.  Right away my dear friend Kim responded with a yes, and behold, a deal was sealed.  Hallelujah!  My day started to look up.

Later that morning I received the email from Jen at The Mom Reviews that offered me the printer review for HP – I couldn’t believe that something I had desperately needed would just fall out of the sky like that!  “I get to keep it??”  I couldn’t have been happier to do that review, and enjoyed every minute I spent on it.  What awes me is the timing of the offer – after the child care fix, it was yet another wonderful moment on a day I was sure would never improve.

Finally, that afternoon, I got a call from my friend Ann.  Our sons are in the same class together and have really hit it off again (after having been friends as babies!)  She wondered if I was aware of the plan the boys had concocted that day – to go to her house after school, so that essentially Charlie could miss his daycare nightmare and have lots of fun with his pal.  I was terribly embarrassed for her to have been put out, but she couldn’t have been more wonderful about it.  She was pleased to have Charlie over, and except for making sure I was aware and having me chat with my little schemer, she enjoyed having him over.

As if that weren’t enough, she called me back about half an hour later to say that she was making dinner for her family, and wondered if I’d like for her to make enough to send home with me, too.  She was so nonchalant about it – “Just some shrimp scampi with linguini.”  Oh, is that all?  *insert insane laughter here*

I told her I couldn’t say no.  I just couldn’t.  And when I got to her house to pick up my boy, she sent us home with not only the linguini, but asparagus wrapped with prosciutto, mac n cheese for the kids, breadsticks, salad and a bottle of red wine.  Yes, I really do know people as wonderful as this, and yes, I am so very blessed to call them friends.

I confess that I went home with a few joyful tears and proceeded to eat myself stupid.

To sum up…

Remember the old life lesson story about the man who was stuck somewhere, surrounded by water, and prayed to God to rescue him?  While he waited for God, three different people arrived and offered to save him, but he held out.  When the water finally rose too high and he died, he got to heaven and asked God why He didn’t help him?  God says, “I sent three people to rescue you, and you sent them all away!”

That isn’t the case here.  I know God knew I was reaching my limit that day.  That there wasn’t much more I could handle, and that I was going to break.  God sent three different people into the fray that day, and each of them held out a hand and pulled me a little further out.  I was thankful then and I am thankful now.