A Few Quick Takes -- I Just Need a Moment

1.) I have a serious love/hate relationship with my phone.

Image Credit: newkemall at Creative Commons 

I honestly think it's a big reason that my youngest isn't weaned yet. When the kids get really loud and the toddler gets fussy, it's just so easy to sit down, latch her onto a boob, and browse Facebook or watch videos on my phone to catch a break from the insanity. 

The problem is that I keep browsing even after she's calmed down and wandered off to play. And before you know it, a good half hour has vanished. I get up to do whatever it was I was doing before I sat down, but by then the kids have once again begun to riot.

Whole afternoons have been lost this way. 

I've tried replacing the phone with something a little less engaging like a book or even a laptop (so I can blog, which is at least marginally more productive) but you need more than one hand, or at least something to rest it on, for both of those. Not ideal when you're wrangling a wiggle butt toddler. 

I just wish the darn thing wasn't so convenient/addicting. If it was even slightly bulkier, I feel like the wrist strain needed to hold it up would be a decent deterrent. 

2.) I found a random children's book at the library that made me cry. 

While I was in college, I took a course entitled "Christian Literature." In that class, we read some C.S. Lewis (of course) and watched a film about his life called The Shadowlands.  

Really wonderful film about Lewis's relationship with, marriage to, and loss of his wife, Joy Grisham.

And, oh gosh, Anthony Hopkins as a tragic romantic lead. Not just horror movies and token Marvel movie parts, this guy has RANGE. Seriously, get the tissues ready. WAY better than The Notebook. The type of movie that finds your heart, captures it, stomps on it and breaks it into a thousand tiny pieces... but in a good way. 

So, anyway, I find this book.

Just a cute little children's book about a mouse, nothing too unusual. But then I notice the mouse's name is Lewis.

And he meets a mouse named Joy.

And this is the ending.

And then I notice this is the dedication.

Image Credit: GIPHY

Cue the waterworks.

No, in case you're wondering, I'm not pregnant.

A little sleep deprived. Not pregnant though.

3.) It's so freaking LOUD here lately, y'all. 

Image Credit: PBS Studios, Arthur, Season 3, Ep. 10

I don't know if it's just a developmental milestone, or the fact that my youngest just turned 2, or WHAT, but the bickering between siblings has reached new levels of crazy. My sweet little girl has taken to hitting people over the head with whatever comes to hand, and my little boy is rather gifted in the 'drama' department.

I'm seriously considering investing in a set of earplugs. But then I'd feel guilty, because I really ought to be paying attention to and engaging with my children, and teaching them healthy conflict resolution, etc. etc. etc.

But it's just. so. LOUD. And unrelenting.

I'm looking forward to the old lady amnesia that'll make me nostalgic enough for these days that I'll go around telling people to enjoy them.

4.) Thank you, oh Lord, for Thanksgiving. 

Image Credit: JSF539, Creative Commons

The school where my husband teaches is taking off a full week for Thanksgiving, which means that we actually get to have him around. I miss him when he's gone...and it's nice to be able to team up with taking care of the kids. 

The food's decent too. 

5.) Two weddings this summer! 

TWO of my brothers decided to get engaged this past fall, which means two weddings this summer! Everyone decided to grow up at once. 

It might mean pregnancy announcements in the family this upcoming fall...we'll see. 

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Well, I fell short of seven again, but I can hear my husband gallantly trying to distract our fickle children in the next room, so I probably ought to stop here. 

For the rest of this week's quick takes, click here.