spilled milk.

it's a rare occasion for me to get out alone these days.  not because i couldn't,

but just because that's what works right now. also, as an introvert that doesn't

love cold weather all that much, well...staying in my cozy home in 

northwest indiana is actually what i prefer to do most of the time between

the months of november and march.  

yet, sometimes things come along that you are so looking forward to

or you care about so much, that it really doesn't matter.  so, i did all the prep

that it takes for a homeschooling mom of 9 [2 of which get all their nutrition

exclusively from her] to be able to leave for a few hours.  why?  

for listen to your mother auditions.

but, then i went to print the audition forms and the

printer was out of toner.  as i sat trying to get it fixed, there was a knock

on the door and a great friend that had recently moved to uganda walked in my

door.  i was so happy to visit with her--despite her sad circumstance for being back.
  then, i lost track of time and suddenly needed to leave.

 the shower i had counted on all day was not going to happen.  i grabbed a pile of
clean clothes from the laundry room [because they had the best chance of fitting
if they'd just been worn] and slapped on some make-up.  i went running around the house

asking who know where my grey flats were while my kids got more and more

riled up watching [a normally much calmer] mom flit about.  my friend

assured me that my seafoam flats looked cute despite my wanting the grey

ones and i hugged, snapped a picture and ran out the door.

i hoped that the first person auditioning wasn't there yet and also that my
babies would make it through the few hours that i was gone.  

 i got there, set up and waited excitedly for 

people to start arriving for their auditions.  i realized that only pen i had was Anika's
harajuku mini 4 color pen & that someone had stuck a sweet, glitter heart foam
sticker on my notebook.  definitely me, but maybe not so professional?

we heard amazing stories, hilarious

stories & precious motherhood stories.  i had just begun to feel settled in and good

about it when i leaned down to reply to an email on my computer that was sitting

on a coffee table in front of me.  when i was done, i noticed the paper that was

on my lap was soaking wet.  milk.  mine.  all over.  

oh, motherhood.

thank goodness for:
 gracious friends--like the one sitting in for auditions with me.

auditioners that pretended not to notice milk spots on my dress.
my last minute choice to grab a black cardigan.
kids that leave sparkly signs of love everywhere they go. 

we mothers get pretty good at just rolling with it, don't we?!