The words to go with the pictures...

My FIL is home from the hospital. He is resting, recovering and ready to be back to his busy body self. After the dance recital we took the oldest two children to the hospital to visit him...in their dance costumes. They were so happy, giggly and uplifting. It was perfect.

The Graduation Party went really well. We did the mad dash house clean up, lawn mowed, glasses rinsed, serving platters out, coolers filled. It was great! For that split moment before people showed up...my house was clean. Everything put away, bathroom looked untouched, towels clean, beds made. It's just proof that it can be done and should be done more often...Ha!

The dance recital was wonderful! I'm just going to be the proud Mama for a minute so stick with me and listen to me brag and boast. Ok~ my children were the ones that the whole group watched. They knew their stuff. They had their dance steps memorized. They performed them beautifully and were very proud of themselves. From beginning to end they were performers, from walking out to the end curtsy. Molly with her toothless grin, Lolo with her skinny little self. They were happy and loving it and I was the proud Mom on the edge of my seat clapping loudly, even a few Hoot Hoots. Not only was I proud of my dancers, but my audience was amazing as well. The seats were the fold up kind like in a movie theater. Little Annie sat in one by herself, looking teeny tiny, but determined to sit alone. She sat there quietly with her legs crossed and her hands folded on her lap and watched. She was so patient, so quiet, so fascinated and just plain perfect. As if that was not enough I turn to the other side and see my Hubby who is rocking Dels in the carseat...asleep. Can we freeze time? For this little blip of time, everything was calm, everyone was happy. I didn't want to blink. *sigh* It was perfect.

Then there was Monday...back to reality. Annie pees on the freshly cleaned rug and her clothes, can't be one or the other, it has to be both. Beds are all messy, crumbs all over the floor. I change Dels diaper and lay her on the floor to roll around. I ran upstairs to grab some warmer clothes, run back down and start to change her...she's wet. Not her diaper, her diaper is dry. One tab came undone, the diaper slid to the side...just far enough and she peed. *sigh* So that rug is wet, those clothes soaked. A little while later and I am holding Dels on my chest, we are looking into each others faces, smiling, making faces, giggling...then she spits up...on my chin, down my neck, into my shirt... did I really expect perfect to last? Ha! But you know what, to me this is perfect. I am a Mom to 4 wonderful children, I am needed, wanted, hugged, spit up on, peed on and loved. When I was sitting there covered in spit up, wondering how I was going to move...I reminded myself that I am going to miss this someday. Not today, but someday. Until then I will try my best to live each and everyday enjoying it all and taking it all in.
The not so perfect and the perfect.

Check out their recital pictures below...