A Wonderful Gift!

Short Story- Last evening a terrific man and his wife bought us (all 8 of us) dinner. This was not something I asked for and it was very unexpected. but it got me thinking and over thinking a lot! Why? I am not sure, (OK - I really do think I know) but sometimes the moral of the story is that you need to sit back and accept help graciously and where ever it comes from. So I want to say thank you again to the kind people- from the bottom of my heart for making me feel better and sharing with our family


Long Story -Basically the afternoon evening went like this:

Eric came home early (after a demo & meeting he was up way to late for preparing the night before). He brought me the mail!!! Thanks honey- and of course I got a package pick up notice - this always drives me nuts (even if I can't wait for the package) because the mail person doesn't always take the time to drive up here to our home- (way different issue). So we need to go to the post office after 6 pm to get it.

So Colin and Melea get off the bus from school, (they were in such a great mood), Adrian was vegging to Sponge Bob and the girls were sleeping and Jordan in the swing. We went outside to play and eat popsicles. Eric joined us and then we decided to start the arduous process of " going out". You need to realize that this takes finding 6 pairs of shoes, two pairs of sure steps (orthotic smo's), looking for at least one shoe insert that has been thrown out, packing the diaper bag (or checking it) making sure I have a sippy cup, changing five diapers and getting the beautiful faces all into the car in the wonderful car seats! (or the only legal child restraint devices!!!! - I occasionally refer to them as) Believe it or not Eric and I can actually do this in less than 15 minutes (assuming not raining and we don't need coats!). I ask Adrian if she has shoe- she says in the most grumpy whine cause we have interrupted Sponge Bob "mom....dad has them". Just as we are ready to pull out Adrian says- I want a drink, can you get me water. I told her she would have to wait till we got to the post office! She starts whining! I remember how much I love her and try not scream (it is working still)

Well we take off for the post office, and I go in to get my package!!! (yeah thanks Aunt Maureen!). Eric says lets go for dinner! We stop by the new restaurant in Eureka- I am so excited cause the parking lot is empty- not crowded I think- but alas they are not open on Mondays! Then we decide to go to the all American stand by- Denny's. I dig out my wallet and folder,I am sort of the coupon queen- so I look and realize that Denny's are expired (by one day!urgh!!!); so we head that direction anyways- drive past the Mexican place- this makes Adrian very angry cause she wants Mexican again- and she starts screaming . Sort of the grating/ earsplitting wail that makes me happy she is the way back seat! This makes Melea upset so she takes off her shoe, orthotic and sock and throws them at Adrian to get her to stop which of course cause the opposite effect - More screaming!

We get 1/2 to Denny's and I realize dad isn't that excited about going there either so I say "if you want to turn around and go for Chinese we can" OK I didn't realize how happy this would make him till he U turned the van in gravel!. So again Adrian starts screaming about Mexican and Colin and Melea are squealing with delight and Colin is signing spaghetti- spaghetti-spaghetti!!! (He means lo mein- but I haven't figured out the sign for that). SO WE GO TO CHINA WOK in Eureka! The have exceptionally great food, no sticky floors, bring food to me and a bathroom Dad or I can get into with three kids & diapers- so they are way up in our book.

SO we are all in the car we get there- start the shoe, sock, orthotic hunt and start putting them on the right kids. Adrian states"she is not going"; I am not happy at this moment and tell her she can sit on the bench and watch the car for bad guys- OK she changes her mind after pouting for about three minutes! but she then asks the question to which i have n0 answer" Where are my shoes Mom?" Well we missed a pair for her, and for the first time in months- I cleaned the car and took out all extra shoes, sock, sandals, etc when the weather was so cool last week! SO there are no shoes. 4 of six kids are out of seats, in shoes and standing with daddy waiting to go in to eat, so I tell Eric to take them I will come up with something! SO he takes diaper bag, and the four walkers and leaves me with Adrian and Jordan.

I finally get a brilliant idea after finding two no matched socks (cause we have wasted way to much time to load them back up and go home and we are nowhere near walmart) I put on the wonderful #5 red cardinal wrist / elbow bands (or can wrappers) that Colin and Melea got at the Buddy walk and have been playing with as seat belt anti rubbing things on her feet and call them her "hopping" slippers. OK this works and she dries the tears and starts "hopping" into the building!

We decided to try Jordan in a high chair for for the first time. It dawns on me after we get every one seated, that Chinese restaurants aren't know for the food they have for infants (like mashed potatoes or beans or oatmeal, applesauce etc....) CRAP- I don't usually do anything special for Jordan but mash up table food! I send Eric to the car - no luck with finding applesauce or apple juice! Jordan is screaming and I do not have nursing shirt on so no easy access to milk there!! Brilliant idea- I have him bring me Cheerios (I do try not to bring into restaurants anymore that we want to return too - the kids make a huge mess) I mash about 1/2 cup of them with water and low and behold he quits screaming, Adrian is now entertaining herself by breastfeeding her doll, Eliza and Miranda are eating noodles and Colin is trying to get my attention by playing peek a boo with the napkin! or maybe a magic trick with it not quit sure and Melea is busy in the voice that has only one volume "ON"!! "Asking Whatzat? Watzat? Watzat?" But at least no one is screaming

We get the order placed and all is going well- then the bathroom questions start- who would have ever thought that potty training would work, however actually make our lives harder! I almost talk Melea out of going to the bathroom- saved by the arrival of the food. Of course Jordan runs out of Cheerios mush! Got to mash that with him screaming and everyone wanting food cut, distributed, soy sauce- no soy sauce- not to much - then way to much..... I really feel like hiding under the table cause they just keep taking my food - and I don't get any crab Rangoon and they ate the extra egg roll (never have any of them wanted this before) In theory this is a real good thing accept that I AM HUNGRY TOO!! I do love that they try new things! and that they just don't eat hamburgers and fries! (parenting tip #1 : chicken nuggets and sweet and sour chicken are almost the same if you remember to leave off the sauce)

I forgot to ask for sweet and sour on the side so Melea is mad, Colin only wants LoMein, Adrian and the soy sauce bottle are becoming best friends, I can't mash Jordan's O's quick enough to make him happy, Miranda is doing her best Stevie Wonder imitations and singing and smiling cause her food is here (basically she is the only one doing what she is supposed to) and Eliza has grabbed a handful of Lo Mien and is playing with is (again- all I can think of is where is candid camera and boy wouldn't her OT be proud at the sensory progress she has made)

I am afraid that the other two couples in the restaurant want to kill us. I do try to eat out on "non popular nights" or "kids night" or early so not to completely irritate, or annoy or ruin other patrons meals. So Monday is a good day. But I am worried!

Well the meal gets better and we all start using inside voices, and two trips to the bathroom with daddy, and Melea excitingly telling all the patrons and the staff that she PEE PEED at the top of her lungs, Colin is attempting to skip over to the table (Remember this is his interpretation after watching Adrian in the "hoppy" slippers and she is hopping). He looks more like a Frankenstein trying to imitate Monty Python's silly walks .

I open my fortune cookie and it says ......

......"make sure you spend enough time with people that are important....your family!" I just start realizing how lucky we all are to have each other though Adrian is so excited cause her's says she is going to a party!!!!

Eric asks for the bill- and the owner says the nice gentleman and his wife across the restaurant paid for our meal. I just wanted to cry. I was happy, thankful, and scared we looked that pathetic all at one time!

Sometimes I really do forget that we probably are not the "norm" from the perspective of strangers. I forget most kindergartner's don't wear diapers, they aren't so proud as to broad cast they peed in the potty, they don't skip like Frankenstein, they don't ask for booster seats for their imaginary friends, and I realize we are not normal. It scares me. I spend most of my day making sure we do "normal things"- that we go to school, or dance class or t-ball , planning parties.....etc but in that one instance a very nice couple made me realize we are not a"normal" or "typical" family. This was not their intention- but it happened. It mad me very sad.

BUT you know what Eric said in the car - "Jane, i don't know how many times you have said this- but remember typical is way overrated. I also assume so is normal"

So thank you both again for a wonderful gift and I appreciate your generosity and help and hoped we all provided you with a great dinner show.