sometimes this happens

And sometimes it doesn't. But today it did - the boys quietly reading while we did morning clean-up and got bodies ready for Church - and it was awesome.

Lately, we feel like... we are stuck in spin cycle in the washing machine, and maybe someone had rocks in their pockets and they are getting chucked at us as we are tossed round and round in this spinning drum. And in this ill thought-out metaphor, health and sleep and emotions are the very pointy rocks.

This week, we had dinosaur nightmares, unexplained throw-ups, and screaming fits. As Henry and I waited for the new Pope to emerge on the balcony, he started throwing up into my cupped hands until they overflowed and we were stuck, unable to move without creating a giant mess all over the carpet and ourselves. Three days later, it was Annie's turn, and she threw up what seemed like two full days worth of food all over me, the chair in her room, and the carpet (but it was so projectile that she remained neat and tidy). Our nights are a continuous parade from one bed to the other as little people cannot sleep, must not sleep, will not sleep. And our days show the consequence of that, with tired little bodies spilling over with explosive, giant emotions.

But, still, this is not a complaint. Just the truth, lest anyone think all of our pictures paint a life too sunshiney. Yes, we are very tired. And, yes, I can be a very crabby mommy. But I am suspecting that all of this is very timely. This is our Lent, and I have prayed hard about knowing true sacrifice, desiring to love until it hurts. My prayers are being met but there are days when I am not up to this challenge - too lazy, too tired, too selfish. So those are the days I pack my kids up in boxes and quit.

Ha ha. If only.

(p.s. diapers are on sale at Costco.)

I don't have any answers or a neat way to sum this up. There are still two more weeks of Lent so there is more learning and more trying to be done. And also more loads of laundry. Way more loads of laundry to clean us all up.