Three Funny Things, too

1) My husband had drawn a map to the soccer field on my van's dusty window, but when we showed up at the park, my daughter Ana wasn't even sure it was the right one. We turned away from a playground and circumnavigated a huge field where we stopped at every softball practice to ask if they were playing soccer, which they weren't. I was anxiously herding my four kids around with balls, scooters and tricycles, shouting for them to Come on!. Other moms stared after us, congratulating themselves that they did not have four kids, could tell a game of softball from a game of soccer, and could juggle a water jug, tricycle, purse and preschooler better than I could.

Eventually we spotted the soccer practice - right behind the playground at the entrance to the park. I told everyone to make a dash across the field as I waddled after, spilling the water jug on my cellphone and urging my littlest to use the legs God had given him. My stress level was high and the child-rearing karma so unbalanced that I wasn't surprised when I heard the squelch of my tennis shoe sinking in a mud pit before I hit the sidewalk.

Still, our 4,237th misadventure came to a close, and my daughter was finally reunited with saner, more patient people: her coaches.

2) I told my husband to have a good day at work.

"You, too," he replied with irony.

"Yeah," I said languidly, recalling soccer practice. But then I called after him, "I am going to have a great day. I believe it!"

I turned around, and my little Danny Sam, picking apart an orange slice, said matter-of-factly, "You'wre not going to have a great day. Thaz sad."

I threw my head back and laughed: The Ides of April, delivered by a three-year-old.

3) My littlest guy thinks his good looks are a gift to the world.

He looks up at me in the morning light with those big blue eyes and golden hair and I declare, "Danny, you're so handsome. I love your new haircut!"

He casually replies as he turns away, "You're welcome."


This list was loosely based on Clare Law's blog, Three Beautiful Things. I always enjoy visiting her site, because I never fail to be reminded to enjoy each day and to take the time to relish all the silly, cute, sweet, unusual and beautiful things my kids do - and to laugh at the misadventures. It's all about accumulating the laugh lines.