I've been tense and worried this week. College, some minor health problems, and a lack of energy have had me a bit down. And then it happened...
I snapped.
It all started at 8:30 p.m. tonight. (Mom and Dad have been away since 5 p.m., leaving me in charge of the siblings.) I had sent the girls to bed at 8 - and they were still coming back downstairs a half hour later. *sarcasm warning* What a shocker!! In any case, tonight something a bit out of the ordinary happened. I was reading on the couch, when I heard Johnna's voice calling to me... "MEG! Did you HEAR me?" I couldn't help but sigh and think, Again? So I made my way over to my little sis, who was standing with her hands on her hips. Again, the question: "Did you hear me?"
"No," I replied.
"Well, it was supposed to be just a 5 minute deal - but I'll tell you again anyway," she said with the utmost patience, as though I were an exasperating child and she were being very gracious and understanding. She said it with that classic, you-can't-resist-this smile of hers, too.
"If you read me a story - and get me some water - THEN I'll go to bed. But, if you don't-"
It was too much. I snapped. But it turned out to be a good snap. I laughed. Again and again until I couldn't breathe. Was she really ordering me to read her a story - or else? Of course she was; this is Johnna we're talking about - the soon-to-be "boss of the world." But my laughter... it wasn't simply out of amusement at the ironic situation... it was a release of all I had been feeling this week.
I ended up reading Johnna that story she wanted. It had been too long since I had last read her a bedtime story, and I seem to remember James Dobson saying that such things are what really matter in life. And he was right. In that half hour that it took me to read a story (Little Women), me and my little sis had more than a few laughs and made more than a couple memories. *sigh* Precious memories.
My cheeks hurt from all the laughing I've done tonight, first with my sisters and then with my brothers (we were practicing our Scottish/Spanish/Russian... or Spussioncotish ;-)... on each other). It's a good feeling. I don't remember the last time I was in pain for such a good reason.
2 comments:
LOL! LOL! LOL! are you laughing yet? hehe. Or have you done to much for one day! I had no idea that you were such a fast reader....(let's see if you get what I am talking about)
~Joanna
Oh boy. If I had been in that situation, I probably would have snapped as well...but it probably wouldn't have been laughter coming out of me. You may not have meant this post as a challenge, but it certainly challenged me to remember the great blessing I have in my younger siblings. God really has given me many gifts through all of them and I need to remember that more. Thanks for sharing your story. :)
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