Not Today, Satan.

 Still struggling. 

I woke up groggy after a not-very-good night's sleep. I was awake at 2 AM, watching TV, wondering if Dad was sitting up in his chair reading the latest David Balducci novel. Falling asleep again was an obstacle I just couldn't seem to overcome. I would doze off and then startle awake until I finally fell into a deep sleep just before it was time to get up. 

And I WAS getting up this morning. No sleeping in for me. The Mr. is really sick, so I didn't rouse him. I got out of bed and showered and dressed, fussing over my dry face and unshapely body. Makeup is hard to apply when your face is as dry as the Sahara, and today I opted for jeans, which I never do, and from the outset I couldn't wait for the moment I could rip them off and hang them back on the hanger where they belong. I was not going to miss church with the girls this morning, no matter what the cost, and I would not be swayed by what I call the devil's tactics, that is, small obstacles that make me want to give up and just go back to bed. Two weeks ago, while still ill, Katie had told me that she had risen to find Arya up and fully dressed and waiting for us to pick her up for church, and we never came. It broke my heart. So nothing was going to stop me. 

I made it past the yucky face/fat body fiasco and set my mind on just getting us there. I drove up and the girls were ready. I was happy to see them and they were happy to see me! As we arrived in the parking lot I asked them if the had had any breakfast this morning, and they said no. As I turned around to speak directly to them I noted that something was different about Claire. Claire? I said. Yes, Grandma? Have you cut your hair again? I had noticed that around her face her usually long and slightly bushy hair was very short and curling up like little horns. This had happened once before about a year ago, and she had never admitted to it, but we all suspected she had gotten ahold of a pair of scissors. But this time it wasn't Claire, it was Mama! I got valentine slime stuck in my hair, and Mama had to cut it out, she said. 

Oh my goodness. Well you both look lovely, I told them. 

We hit the donut station when we got inside, which was an instant hit. Then we hit the bathrooms for sticky hands, which was a hit for grandma and then we were in the sanctuary for some sweet, sweet worship. 

Their teacher came by and took them, and then it was just me in the pew and I was so glad I had made the effort. So.worth.it.

After church I dropped the girls off at home and then headed home myself. I had a lot of work to do today, as I do most Sundays, to get ready for the week ahead. I really wasn't feeling it, but it couldn't be put off. The house was a wreck. There was laundry, the bathrooms desperately needed cleaning, dishes to be done, and lunch needed cooking. 

There are days that I am meant to be in the kitchen, and then there are days that the devil plays his little tactical games. That is, he throws obstacles in the way that make me want to run away screaming. Today was one of those days. It wasn't just one of those days where one or two things goes awry. I opened the fridge door and the blueberry syrup dripped as the door opened, spilling syrup on the bottom of the fridge and the floor. My knees were hurting so much I almost couldn't stand up. In making grilled cheese sandwiches, the butter wasn't spreadable on the bread. It was two steps to the microwave, but I didn't want to walk over there, I would rather fight with the butter, than take the steps. Ally felt sorry for me and did it for me, though I didn't ask. So the sandwiches were done, but I forgot to heat the soup. I put the Mr.'s in and heated it, and went to add rice to his, as he requested, and spilled the rice all over the stove and countertop. I got that cleaned up, and served in his bowl, and in walking to the sink dropped the serving spoon on the floor, making yet another mess. I may have yelled  ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? 

As I was cleaning that up, my soup, which was in the microwave, and covered with a paper plate to prevent explosions, exploded. I heard it POP and looked inside and sure enough the paper plate had blown off, leaving a giant soup mess all over the microwave. CRIMINITELY! 

I did make it back upstairs with the lunch, and as I entered my bedroom the first thing I noticed was that dog had thrown up on my bedspread. So I grabbed that off the bed and off to the laundry room with it, because it takes a long time to dry. 

So I figured I needed an afternoon nap after the soup and sandwich. I would pick up in an hour or two, and maybe the devil would have laid off. 

But no. 

After my nap I went downstairs and cleaned up from lunch. I couldn't believe how much my knees were hurting today. Every single step like burning lava. I still needed to vacuum the living room, dining room, clean the bathrooms, get the laundry out of the dryer, and start dinner. 

I had decided I was making pot pie for dinner, however on second thought (what am I, crazy?) I decided to make TWO pot pies! One would be traditional and one would be chicken, green chilies, and cream cheese, kind of like an Allsups Chimichanga. So I stepped into the laundry room where my pantry is and grabbed a can of chicken broth. Two more cans and a bottle of vinegar promptly fell down behind the water heater. 

By this time I was on to him. I didn't even cuss. I just walked away. Not today, Satan. They are, presumably, still on the floor. 

Not to say that I wasn't on edge. I was grinding my teeth as I walked away from the cans that jumped off the shelf. I was talking to myself, loudly, as I went. It was just unbelievable. I went to vacuum and the cord somehow wrapped itself TWICE around the girls BBBBBBBarbie dream house. HOW? And even now! My keyboard is giving me so much trouble! I hit the B on that last sentence about four times before it came up, and then it was capital BBBBS, ALL.DAY.LONG! 

So yeah, today has been rough. When I went to clean the toilet, the Lysol toilet cleaner, which has been sitting on the back of the toilet for a month, had suddenly fallen over and was pouring out Lysol all over the floor. I just...just...

But the pot pies came out really great. The comforter is almost dry. The kitchen is clean. The bathroom is clean. I just keep telling myself the same thing I did the second week of Feb, 2011. That week we had a deep freeze. The dog chewed the fridge cord and nobody could come out and fix it. We were living out of a cooler filled with snow from outside. Auntie Kathy was stuck at my house. The Mr. was stuck on a business trip and couldn't get home. I found myself walking though the living room, gritting my teeth and trying not to scream, while telling myself I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me...when it dawned on me, that that meant these things. 

And that means these things today, too. There is help. And peace. 

I called Daddy to see how he was doing. He says things are still the same, although his voice sounds stronger to me than last week. I asked if he was reading and he said no. I guess he finished his book. I asked if he was eating and he said yes. I told him if he need some new reading material to let me know and I would send him something.  It was good to hear his voice. 

I am giving up on this keyboard, now. It has taken me ten times as long as usual tonight, because for some reason I keep tripping over the letters and misspelling things. The keyboard is lagging behind, which is probably why I am misspelling and tripping over the letters. It is driving me mad. 

Tomorrow I have a dental appt. , and the rest of the cleaning I didn't do today. I guess I had better pick up those cans under the water heater. 

Also I got a funny picture from Katie. 

She found an oven mitt, that the girls had randomly put a wiggly eye on, so it looked like a fish. I died laughing. What great grandkids.