Losing it then gaining it back…

Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time, there was a “Southern Lady”. She had married Prince “Yankee” Charming. They did have their differences but on the most part always came to some understanding before they went to sleep each night. “Southern Lady” was very grateful for Prince “Yankee”.

One day, they found themselves having 5 children. It seemed one day they just appeared out of no where. With the 5 kids came paper…paper airplanes, coloring pages, paper bills, paper napkins, paper towels, paper plates, paper diapers, paper wipes, magazines. Are you getting the picture? “Southern Lady” found herself needing two refrigerators just to hold all the pretty pictures her children would draw her during the day.

Then came the laundry. Towels seemed to always disappear when someone spilled something or just “accidentally” poured it on the floor, on purpose. Whenever it was time to go out, no one had jeans to wear because they were always in the “dirty” clothes. Of course, they hadn’t really been “dirty” they just never made it to the drawer after they had been folded. So, they had been put back in the “dirty” clothes therefore making them “dirty.”

One day “Southern Lady” walked into her living room. She had prided herself the day before because every room was “messy” except her living room. Guess what she found? No, it was NOT her house, it couldn’t possibly be. Her house had been clean so this couldn’t possibly been hers.

Who parks a “Mater car” in the living room when they know it stays in the playroom? Who could possibly leave a basketful of folded towels on the couch when they belong in the bathroom? Who brings all their blankets that they could possibly find and pour them out in the floor in front of the TV? The aliens must have entered in sometime during the night and have taken over.

The “Southern Lady” loses all respect and cries out with desperation. “Why me?” “Why do these aliens have to come and live here?” In the middle of her blustering, she looks up and her eldest is grinning. Yes, grinning – ear to ear. Her heart fills with compassion. She feels so foolish, losing it over a little mess. Her beautiful children were just being children. They are not wild aliens. They are her aliens that she created with Prince “Yankee”. They are blessings from the Lord. They are to be taught what is right and to pick up after themselves. Not to lose it with yelling or to have a temper tantrum when something goes awry.

You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar as the saying goes. So, now the eldest says he will use the secret weapon when mommy is “losing it” and it will probably get me every time.