Never goes as planned

Today I envisioned taking my family to the park for a picnic dinner. I pictured us lounging on the quilt, enjoying our meal, talking, and basking in the warmth of a fading summer. I envisioned Hannah and Emily running off to play on the playset with me and Ray chatting quietly side by side.

But that's not how it went.

It rained so the ground was wet. Ray threw a fit when I suggested that they skip karate tonight. Bees swarmed each and every table we sat at. Emily dumped chili all over Hannah's backpack. She cried forever. We left after only 20 minutes.

I didn't get the picture perfect picnic dinner as I had envisioned. In fact, I didn't even get to take a single picture.

But, once we got home, and we all calmed down, I did manage to get an hour or so with the girls on the front porch finishing homework in the waning light of the last day of summer. It was quiet and peaceful, and I didn't have to fight them to get their work done. It was almost enjoyable.

Life gets so busy and so hectic and I just get plain tired. Sometimes all I want is to pull the brakes for just a little while so I can just sit. Sit on my front porch, feel the breeze waft around me, listen to my little ones chatter, and not do a single.darn.thing.