Running Errands with Mr. Relentless

The usual chaos had been encircling us all day beginning long before we even started to run our errands. Errands are really something I try to avoid doing with the children at all costs, but sometimes it’s inevitable. On this particular day, I was hopeful that the presence of my laid back husband could have a positive influence and keep things sanThe morning had started with us tearing up all 2,000 square feet of the house we’re borrowing. Typically, this happens in conjunction with a lost shoe or a coat for one of the kids. This time, the stakes were much higher with a $150 replacement fee on the line for the item that had gotten lost in the shuffle of our cross-country move. After a whirlwind of activity through the house and a momentary flash of brilliance, we found the item nowhere inside the upturned house, but in the car – a logical place given we had lived out of it for two months during our move.

Unfortunately because of the search, the errand running started around lunchtime, which is never a good time to do anything, really, except eat. The post office we were headed to was inconveniently located right next to McDonalds.  As my husband ran in to mail our lost item by certified mail, my five-year old (and future attorney) started pleading his case as to why he should be allowed to go to McDonalds immediately. Starting with a detailed list of why he was in fact starving, he continued to argue his case to no avail as a neighbor walked out of the post office. I rolled down my window and chatted a little. Before I could even get my window rolled up, Jack started in again. The whole time this was going on, my dear, sweet daughter was hard at work quietly drawing in the back seat. She is quite often the calm in our storm and it takes quite a bit to get her feathers ruffled. As my husband chatted with the neighbor outside the car and my son, Mr. Relentless, still tried to argue his case for McDonalds, my daughter asked a seemingly innocent question, “Momma, how do you spell circus?”

And I thought to myself, “L-I-F-E.”