What's on Your Finger?

Yesterday I took a bag of vegetables to my friend's house. I knew I had people coming for dinner, and I wouldn't have proper time to chop the veg and prep for dinner after the school run. So after a few cups of coffee, lunch with four mums and seven kids, a tadpole disaster, a few discipline opportunities and a brief but honest chat, I headed off to the school run with the same bag of vegetables, unchopped. And my afternoon went something like this...

Pick up two boys from school.

Carry two sleeping boys and a bag of vegetables into the house.

Send oldest two to get out of their uniform.

Put a DVD on.

Make four drinks and four snacks. 
Start chopping vegetables. (Skip peeling)
Put thirty sausages under the grill.
Chop more vegetables.
Sort out a 'disagreement' between two boys.
Check sausages.

Say "Wait a minute" to the youngest calling me.

Start to turn sausages.

Say "Wait a minute" to the youngest calling me.

Wonder what is on youngest's fingers.

Smell youngest's fingers.
Gag on the smell of poo.
Shove sausages back under the grill.
Repeatedly say "Don't touch anything. Don't touch anything."

Grab wet wipes.

Wet wipe the youngest.
Antibacterialise youngest's fingers.
Strip the youngest.
Throw clothes near washing machine.
Change a nappy on kitchen floor.
Throw nappy in outside bin.
Antibacterialise my fingers.
Smell slightly burning sausages.
Say "No" to boys asking for raw carrots and apples.
Realise it's the only way to get fruit & veg in them tonight... 
Change "no to carrots and apples" to "Yes to carrots and apples".
Hand out four carrots.
Turn grill down.
Text someone to bring two chairs and milk tonight.
Chop some vegetables.
Fry some vegetables, with youngest on hip.
Hand out more carrots.
Put dummy in youngest's mouth.
Laugh.
Text the husband to ask for Estimated Time of Arrival.
Add half an hour to the husband's Estimated Time of Arrival.
Open some plum tomatoes.
Vaguely read recipe.
Tell youngest "Hot hot hot" as I move each sausage to the plates by hand.
Stop youngest drinking Antibacterial gel.
Take a photo of the table.

Laugh.

Quote to myself,

"You know when I sit and when I rise;
   you perceive my thoughts from afar.

 You discern my going out and my lying down;
   you are familiar with all my ways." (Psalm 139v2-3)

Feel encouraged by the fact that God is watching me and my day.

Feel encouraged that He is familiar with all my ways.

Hand out four plates of sausages.

Think the plates look a bit empty.

Remember they've had carrots and apples.

Butter some bread and give them chocolate biscuits.

Find a Bonus Feature on the DVD to keep them occupied for a few more minutes.

Throw vegetables, sausages and other stuff in a big pan and stick it in the oven.

Stop the youngest from playing with the clothes by the washing machine.

Praise the Lord for the sound of keys in the door.

Kiss the husband.

Notice him scan the kitchen and not react.

Start to clear the table.

Thank the husband for his help.

Clean two toilets.

Put four little people to bed.

Set the table.

Breathe.