What’s for Dinner {January 30, 2014}

If you are new here, read my first What’s for Dinner post to get filled in on what the heck’s going on around here. If you have been to this rodeo before, let’s get down to business.

 Tonight we had one of my kids favorite meals. I used this recipe and doubled it:  Ham Fried Rice. It’s one of my go-to meals on nights that I don’t feel like cooking.

They all love it and eat a ton, but there is one little friend who picks out their peas……..

Not to sound like a whiner, but, I didn’t sleep well last night and have had a stiff neck for the last two days. Everything I needed to do today seemed extra hard. So….I either didn’t do it, or I did the bare minimum.

Hence, Charlotte stayed in her jammies all day and I never even ran a brush through my hair or put make-up on, which is really scary when you consider that I went to the gym this morning, and then to Old Navy right after that. I even made a quick stop at Chick-fil-a for a free breakfast sandwich on my way home. I am pretty sure I used to have more self respect then this.

I took Conner to Basketball Practice by myself tonight…such a relief not to have his two biggest fans with me. He did so much better, actually seemed to be listening to what his coach was saying and seemed much more focused….maybe it was the Ham Fried Rice.

I had to take a picture of this little scene as Conner and I were walking out the door. These two were so cute doing dishes together….in real life that translated to a huge wet mess and two kids who needed a bath when they were done “washing the dishes” but it sure looks cute. Lucky for me I was at basketball practice so dad got to deal with that.

Here is another picture that looks cute……but there is a back story that goes along with this one….

When we got home from practice it was already almost 7:30 so I told Conner to hurry and go take a quick shower. It seemed like it was taking him forever, but I was trying to answer a few e-mails so I let it go.

Then Thatcher comes into the kitchen soaking wet, immediately following his entrance I hear Charlotte start crying bloody murder upstairs.

I ask Thatcher how in the world he got so wet. He says, “Conner threw a rag at me.” At this point Charlotte, still crying, had made it down stairs and was wet all over her back.

I didn’t need to see the bathroom to know that Conner threw a dripping wet rag at Thatcher, getting water all over floor causing Charlotte to slip and fall in it. Now both Charlotte and Thatcher need new dry pj’s on, and if you will recall, I’m in bare minimum mode today. This felt like someone had just told me I was going to have to climb Mt. Everest before I could go to bed tonight. Needless to say I didn’t use my nice voice when I yelled up the stairs. “Conner, every drop of water better be cleaned up in that bathroom before I get up there. You are in big trouble mister!”

I hear the scurry of feet above as he hurries to clean it all up, all the while I am pretty much wanting to send him to bed with no stories or songs (which is a horrible punishment in his mind.) I get up stairs and he (with the deer in the headlight look, says “It’s all clean, I’m sorry mom, I’m so sorry.” I ask (not in my nice voice) why he threw a wet rag at Thatcher in the first place and all the sudden the kid breaks down in a crying mess.  Sobbing about how bad he is and to please give him a punishment. WHAT?????? Where is this coming from.

Turns out someone has a guilty conscience. He had taken a bath when I told him to take a quick shower and was feeling guilty about not obeying.

Apparently, Thatcher had come in the bathroom and tried to put his toe in the water or something super horrible like that. Conner had no choice but to throw a wet rag at him and poor Charlotte was just an innocent bystander, who became a victim of circumstance.

Conner must have been really tired because he would not stop beating himself up about lying to me. I wanted him to learn from it instead of feel shame and guilt so I asked him what he could learn from what happened tonight and what he thought he should do. He said  he could learn that it’s never better to lie, it just makes you feel bad inside, and that maybe he could read Charlotte and Thatcher a story. I said, “that would be nice to read them a story, but maybe you should tell them sorry first.

When he said sorry to each of them he also asked if they would forgive him, which was super tender, they both said yes and gave him a big hug. (Children can teach us so much) Then he came to me and gave me a hug and asked if I could forgive him. I said, “of course I can,” and then he said, “There is one more person I need to ask to forgive me.”  He knelt down by the side of the bed and started praying “Dear Heavenly Father, I feel really bad for lying to my mom and hurting my brother and sister. Can  you forgive me? I need to have an answer by tomorrow afternoon. I am learning a lesson from this and I know it is better to tell the truth. I love you and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Savior, Amen.”

The fact that he gave God a deadline really cracked me up! But in all seriousness, the room felt really peaceful after he finished praying. I said, “Conner do you feel how peaceful it feels in here? Did you know that sometimes that is how God answers our prayers and helps us know he forgives us? He gives us peaceful feelings and helps us feel good inside again.” He smiled but didn’t say much.

Then he read Charlotte and Thatcher a book and I sang them a couple goodnight songs. After I finished singing the last one, Conner said, “You know what Mom, I am feeling a lot better now. I think I am even starting to forget that bad feeling I had.” I said, “It sounds like God is sending you his answer even earlier then tomorrow afternoon. He sure loves you doesn’t he.”

Hopefully Conner will remember what he learned tonight about lying, praying and forgiveness. I know I will remember it.

Keep it Real!!!

Maria