My Village People

“I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

Everybody’s nerves, everybody's nerves.

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

and this is how it goes.

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves.

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

and this is how it goes.

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves.

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

and this is how it goes.”

Got it? Great. Repeat that for about 15 minutes. Getting the picture more clearly now? Ahh, cringing a bit aren’t you? This is the water boarding-esque torture that my uberpatient friend Amber endured while ferrying my normally sweet youngest to gymnastics today.

In her very kind way she let the madness continue due to the fact that is was “fascinating that she didn’t breathe the whole time.”

I must applaud her for the fortitude to not stop the car and leave my seven year-old, inanely singing, on the side of the road. But that’s what we do. We help our friends, even at the risk of going mad. What would we do without our friends? It truly does take a village.

With a hubby that is frequently on the road and three VERY active children, my village saves my life daily. Whether it is with a kid taxi, meal suggestion, lunch invite or an ear to listen to whining about the daily grind. All are valuable and I am blessed to receive all from my myriad of pals.

We have to help each other or we would lose our minds. We no longer live in a world where we can just send Janie and Johnny out the door with a PB&J and a smile, calling out “see you when the street lights come on sweetie!” and collect our wits (and dust bunnies) while they are gone.

We shuttle to activities, games and classes because it isn’t really that safe to let our kids run wild anymore. I try to give my three as much outdoor time as possible, but they just don’t have the type of freedom I enjoyed as a child. Consequently, there is stress. Stress to get from place to place in a timely manner. 

"Do we have the right leotard/shoes/hairband/water bottle/snack/bat/glove/bag/mouth guard/vest/etc. we need for the four places we have to be on Tuesday?" 

"Is there gas in the car?" 

"Can I be in McKinney, Flower Mound and Lewisville all at the same time?" 

The answer to those questions is very often “No!” but we do our best.

We pre-prepare, we plan, we set the phone alarm five minutes sooner, we double check, but we still slip up. Someone ripped her tights, a jersey is dirty, a water bottle spills on homework, or a snack hits the ground.

Life happens.

Often in those moments when it feels like either Mayhem or Murphy (you know, the one with the Law) is stalking you, it's a maternal angel who swoops in to save the day. A friend, a fellow mom, bringing spare bobby pins or an extra Caprisun to the rescue. A ride home or a pair of eyes on a dropped-off child to ease my worries when I leave. 

These are the folks I know will see dirt on my floor and laundry on my couch and still hang out and share a cup of joe anyway. So thankful for their grace! 

These are the ladies who are my support system and my team. They are my village and my joy. I am thankful for and blessed by all of you-this and every week. May I be there for you when you need help too. And maybe, just maybe, together we can come up with a song that gets on our kids' nerves!

"Ever feel like this?"