A rough week

I'm learning to LEAN more and more on God. I know this week I've needed to grow more patience.
Or maybe I just need to get away for awhile- even a half an hour to myself would be blissful.
Maybe I'm attempting too much. Maybe I'm too distracted. Whatever the reasons, it's been a hard week.
To give you a bit of background... Rick started a new job three weeks ago ( Thank GOD!). He leaves at 5:45 AM and returns at 5:45 PM, Monday-Thursday with every other Friday off.

He's been trying to study for his second actuarial exam and also is studying about the stock market and how to spot "good" investments. In other words, he doesn't take much time to help out and I feel badly even asking. But I think I'm almost at the breaking point. I HAVE to have a break SOON!!!

You probably remember that, I care for Josephine - almost 5 months- from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM, 5 days a week. Her mommy tries to come and feed her once during the day. Alas, it's been a crazy week for Doreen too and she's only been out twice ( Thursday and Friday) to feed her this week.
So, I'm the lone ranger all day with three kids ages 3 and under.

Some of the "highlights" of the week are as follows.
Tuesday Lucas requested we walk to the park, about a half a mile and five road crossings away. I pushed the girls in the stroller and he rode his "motorcycle."

He has always been really good about listening and obeying while out riding. Pretty responsible.

The trip to the park was uneventful. On the return he coasted down a small hill and onto the sidewalk and crossed the first street BY HIMSELF!!! He'd gotten far enough ahead. he didn't hear me hollering at him to STOP!
I scolded him and kept him close by for the remainder of the crossings.He needed his little hide tanned but I refrained do to our location.
I asked him if he knew what he'd done wrong. He said he'd crossed the road. So obviously he wasn't oblivious to the disobedient aspect, just the danger.
Wednesday Rick woke me at 5:00 AM upon my request. Lampson's You Pick Blueberries was open. Hurrah! Last summer I didn't get any berries. I was not going to let having the responsibility of three little ones deter me this year.
I packed my two into the car and headed out. We picked up Josephine and were on the road to Milton-Freewater by 6:15. I was glad to have an early start. Upon arrival I was even happier to have gotten there early. There were a large number of people swarming through the rows intent on stripping the bushes of the luscious fruit.
Loading both girls, and anything else I thought we might need, into the stroller we made our way towards the cashier to be directed to "our" row, at the end near the road. The bushes sagged under their burden of berries so thick they looked like clusters of ripe concord grapes hanging to the ground.
The first part went quite quickly. Lucas kept himself and Abrianna well occupied eating fruit while Jojo just observed. Then Jojo decided she'd had enough of the stroller and was bored. Holding her in one arm I continued to pick. Then she decided she was hungry. So the stroller became my seat so I could feed her and continue to fill the bucket.
About that time a middle-aged man came up to me and asked how many berries I was planning on picking. "Two buckets." I replied. He handed me a full bucket of berries. I was so relieved!

Lucas informed me at that point that a bathroom break was immanent. Taking a girl in each arm and verbally directing him we made our way to the porta potty. He hasn't learned how to wipe yet so that took a little creativity to keep Abrianna off of the dirt road where the cars continued to file past while getting Lucas cleaned up. We did manage. That process took probably 15 minutes.
Back to our row to finish picking berries. The same gentleman came over again and repeated his question. I replied, "I want to top off my buckets." He took his bucket of berries and filled both of mine to the top. Praise the LORD! I was so ready to be done.
After paying, loading everything into the van, and feeding Jojo we were headed back to Wally World ( Walla Walla) by 8:30.
We stopped at Wal-mart to pick up some freezer bags for our bounty of 24 lbs of organic blueberries. Both girls were asleep. Josephine rode in her car seat, Lucas in the cart and Abrianna over my shoulder.
Upon arriving home, I felt that I still needed a walk. The trip to and from the van wouldn't be recognized by my body as exercise- though I swear mentally I'd run a marathon by that point.
After resting for awhile, we headed out. The walk was almost uneventful, until we got to crossing our blind corner. Jasper ( our German Shepherd) ran across without permission. Lucas proceed to make an arcing curve out into the road and back. I was scared to death.
Since we were headed into the house, he did get his hide tanned. I really needed to make more of an impression. This is an issue of life or death. (Any of you who have been to my house would understand that.)
I got down on his level and put into graphic terms what could happen to him if he got run over by a car. I made my point. He had a terribly scared expression on his face and then burst into tears. I pray that that is the last time he'll pull that stunt.
Later, Josephine was sleeping in the stroller. Lucas wanting something out of the pocket on the handle and tipped the stroller over. Fortunately the way it's designed, she didn't fall out. Just ended up upside down. I wasn't a happy momma.
That was the end of Wednesday.
Thursday.... Playgroup to be held at my house. That is always a good motivator to clean, both inside and out.
On a side note, I was planning on mowing the lawn Tuesday. But Abrianna was playing with and lost one of my closed toed shoes. The lawn was and is un-mown. I think it hasn't seen a mower in two weeks!

I did get a bit of trash picked up outside. The house was fairly clean inside. (I forgot to mention that on Wednesday all three little ones napped for an hour simultaneously. I vacuumed, swept and mopped.)

I waded through a huge mountain of dishes, loading the dishwasher to capacity and hand washing the rest, stacking them on the counter to dry. Awhile later, I heard Lucas saying, "Uh oh!" There he was, standing on the counter, pee puddling under him and running UNDER MY CLEAN DISHES! YUCKY!!

I was sitting in the glider rocking chair encouraging Jojo to journey to the land of nod, while Abrianna ran laps on the couch. Suddenly, I head a thunk followed by a wail! She had flipped head over heals over the back of the couch into the wood pile. With my heart in my throat and expecting the worst, I quickly laid Josephine on the couch hurrying to pick up my battered daughter. Surprisingly and thankfully, she wasn't that battered. She sustains a small dent but no visible bruises or blood for which I remain very grateful.

Rachel and her girls came for playgroup.
Our kids had a lot of fun running and bouncing on the trampoline.
Abrianna ever a little monkey, scaled the ladder when I wasn't watching. The next thing I see, is grinning and merrily running laps 40 inches above the ground on the corner of the tramp outside the net!!
Rick later told me that she can climb all the way up the ladder and through the enclosure onto the trampoline. The ladder has been removed.
Friday mostly restful, thankfully.
Jojo's daddy worked a half a day and picked her up at 1:00. For which I'm especially grateful because Abrianna began running a fever about a quarter after 12:00.
Her fever reached about 103 during the night. Tylenol brought it down. She's been a little cranky today and is again running a slight fever, wanting to cuddle and nurse frequently.,

Sabbath, my ramblings have come to a close. I've been much better handle things today thanks to some help and a short nap. Happy Sabbath and Happy 4th of July!