Author: Andrea Esh

I'm a mom of four. I am a farmer's wife, and after ten years I am still adjusting to that. I like writing, acting silly with my kids, and having long conversations with my husband. I'm on a quest for a peaceful, simple life. I follow Jesus.

Super Tuesday

.Reading time 2 minutes.

“You are so mean!” She yells, and then adds “So so MEAN”.   She stomps upstairs crying.  I sigh and roll my eyes.

My day had been busy.  It had ended with
a call to Gene reminding him that we forgot we had PTF that evening, and the
decision that I would be the one to go.

Quesadillas were fried, and flopped on the table.  I started eating without telling anyone, because
that’s how badly I wanted silence (plus I was running late).

I had sneaked into the gym late, and casted my votes for the fundraising
committees. (It’s simple, if you don’t know the candidates, always vote for the
person who’s name has a nice ring to it)

I had come home and thought my days duties were done.  It turns out that my duties are never done,
and I keep forgetting that lesson.

I had been short with her, I admit.  I
gave her attitude that said, “My stuff is so much more important than your
stuff, and I don’t have time for your stuff anyway”.  When a mom gives a little attitude, it is
returned to her in three-fold, another lesson I keep forgetting.

So while she was taking a bath, I went in and made my things right with
her.  With red swollen eyes she forgave
me, and understands that moms get grouchy too sometimes.

This morning it is all forgotten.  While
I was combing her hair she was telling me about the boy who is always hugging
her.  “Every time I walk by him he hugs
me, everybody knows that he likes me mom.”

Giggle.

So life keeps unfolding, and I know someday I will look back on these times
with such nostalgia, and wish I had been more patient, more loving, and not
been so overthinking about
everything.  I know that in our family we would be lost without forgiveness,
it makes everything go around.

That was my Super Tuesday, How was yours?

Valentines Drama

.Reading time 7 minutes.

On Monday Gene asked if I want to go out for Valentines
night.  At that time, I was feeling for some inexplicable reason not really
in the mood.  It was probably because I
had already purchased strawberries for Valentines evening and had big chocolate
dipping plans.

On Valentines morning I realized that, Oh wait, this is a Holiday to celebrate
love, and I had not a card or even a shred of anything resembling a nice
gesture for my husband. (I did nag him about some fencing, but I don’t think
that counts as a nice gesture)  I knew
myself well enough to know that last minute running to a store to buy a card
wasn’t going to happen, so while he was on his way out the door, I mentioned to
him please don’t get me anything, because I got you nothing.

We shared a nice little moment of understanding that our love would not tank
even if we didn’t really celebrate hugely. (Namely by exchanging cards for
roses)  We’ve also kind of adopted a
family night tradition with Valentines.
It is a Big Deal to Elena.  I was
good with doing the family thing.  No I wanted to do the family thing.

Fast forward to suppertime.
I made a meal of tiny bites. Tiny barbeque sandwiches, shrimp, tiny
salads at every plate.  Tiny little
chicken bites wrapped in filo.  Elena was
in charge of the décor.  She had
completed her own valentines weeks ago, and was stressed out trying to get her
little brother to care.  She forced him
to make one for Madi, and then he petered out.

We sat down and had prayer.  The meal
spiraled downhill from there.  Gene had
bought those candy necklaces on a stretchy string.  (double gross yuck yuck, I am not fond of
them)  Madi saw them and was not having
any other type of food.  She started out
by flinging her shrimp on the floor.
Loud crying.  Screaming. Taking a
bite of sandwich.  Spitting it like it
was gagging her.  She was sent to her
room.  Gene asked if she had had a nap. I testily answered “yes”.

Brandt suddenly became torqued that his valentine from Elena didn’t have
chocolate with it like Gene and mine did.
He kept saying rude (but funny) things about it.  THE CHILD DOES NOT EVEN LIKE CHOCOLATE, but he
was so upset that Elena chose to give him a pencil instead of candy.  It was a lose/lose situation.

Dessert was my chocolate dipped strawberries, and regular strawberries.   Brandt asked if he could please have cereal
instead. We said no.  YOU WILL EAT THOSE
STRAWBERRIES AND YOU WILL BE HAPPY, SON!  Madi joined us again at the table.  She ate nothing for supper, and then she
sneaked a candy necklace and we pretended not to notice.

By 7:00, the children had abandoned the table, and I was left with a messy
kitchen.  Gene was having problems with
the silo, and had to go climb it.  I sat
down and thought Really, I said No to a
date night for this? Can’t I go back
in time and change my mind?

I cleaned up the kitchen while the children tore apart the
living room.  And so that ended my 2012
Valentines day.  It was kind of like
expecting a baby kitten, but getting a baby gerbil instead.

And I tried to stay off of facebook because everybody else seemed to be having the time
of their lives.

I learned my lesson.  I will never say no to a date again.

Now if you’re wondering if I’m the kind of person who always
has horrible things happen to them, and is a real Debbie Downer, its not
true.  I usually choose to write about
the less glorious things in life.

Stephen King was asked once why he always writes horror stories, and he said “What
makes you think I have a choice?”  That’s
how I feel.   I physically cannot tell a story about myself
that ends glowey.  Don’t feel bad, if something wonderful would have happened last night, there
would be no post today because that’s just no fun .

And so I’ll end with some pictures.
Captured by myself and my offspring.
Do you know the feeling when you want to make sure people KNOW that you
suck at something, and you want them to know that You Know you suck?  That’s how I feel about photography.   I feel
compelled to post the most awful pictures of myself. Please forgive.


Our table, with our youngest daughter wearing a swimsuit.
Because thats what she wears every day lately.


The Happy One

The One with the Smeary Mouth


Titled:  Motherhood makes me Glow. or
 It will be a happy day when Andreas Triple Chin Resumes is Status as a Double  or
Elena please stop playing with my camera!


Titled
The Magical night  or
Husband Drapes over Wife or
What is that Cool New Sepia Tone?