The Anema's: I have triplets.

Today was just one of those "holy cow!!!! I HAVE TRIPLETS!" days....ya know?? I've been taking all three little boys to get groceries with me on Mon. mornings when Tyler is in school, and let me tell you....it is an adventure! I have a very serious talk with them about what is okay and what is not okay in the grocery store. Running away down the aisle and into the next aisle to look at the popsicles is not okay, taking out what I put into the cart is not okay, throwing the package of blueberries is not okay, running into other peoples' carts is not okay. Sigh. It's a workout! I get lots of comments about them, which are usually, "You have lots of helpers today!" and "Oh MY!" and "Bless you." I usually just say, thank you. Pray for me. :)

This afternoon we were going crazy inside (yes, I realize that this is the first day that it was actually cold like winter out, and yes this winter is going to be so. so, long. I asked Evan if he'd consider adding a small gym on to our home to let the boys run off some energy.). Anyway, we went to an indoor play place, which the boys love. While we were there, they were begging to go to the escalators to the second floor of the store we were in. I told them no at first, but they told me they could do it without crying, and that they'd stay right by me. I hate to miss an experience, so I told them we could. The way up went great. We all went up. The way down....not so much. Micah, Andrew, Tyler and I hopped on, and Derek didn't. He stood at the top of the escalator screaming as he watched us descend further and further from him. So I took two steps at a time, and ran UP the DOWN escalator (that was a sight to behold, I'm sure) to get him. By this time, the other three were almost down and I was at the top, so now they started freaking out. Tyler got off fine, but the next time I looked, Micah and Andrew were both sort of half sitting, half laying and screaming at the end of the escalator b/c they didn't want to get off without me. And the store manager had come over to see what the ruckus was about. He helped the two off at the bottom, and I came down with Derek and a red face, and said, "Never again" and "thank you" to him. He said, "have a nice day," and walked away. HA!! He must have been thinking how crazy I was, and I was thinking the same thing, so I proceeded to get my four little hoodlums bundled up again, get them across the parking lot in one piece, into the van where there's always a fight about who sits where, and strapped into their seats. Everything (and I don't think that's an exaggeration) with us is a production, it seems!! Ahhh...this life of mine....sometimes I truly can't believe it's mine. It's wonderfully exhausting, and even a little embarrassing at times, but wow....I'm just so thankful for all of it!

One time this happened....they were all playing nicely, so I needed to capture it! :) Lately I don't know that there is much time during the day when someone is NOT crying or complaining, so it's so wonderful to see this happen every once in awhile!