I have figured out that having expectations can only lead to one thing...disappointment. I have known this for awhile but continue to make the same stupid mistake. You would think that Mother's Day would be the one day that you could have some expectations...even if it's sleeping in or having Starbucks brought to you. Before I begin our adventure of a day let me clarify that my girls were awesome...as always they had made me the sweetest gift at school...one of those gifts that makes your heart smile and you want to frame it and keep it forever as a reminder of them at this precious age. Kuddos to the kids! So Lily had been at a birthday party slumber party and Ellie had a friend sleep over here. Ellie woke me up at 7:15 to give me her sweet gift...a painting and a poem...which was the only reason I wasn't mad that I was awake that early. I got up and decided to go to church with my mom at 8:30. I have Jamie the instructions and who to drop where and what time to get Lily. After church we all headed to Starbucks (I wasn't so lucky as to get it in bed!). When Jamie asked what I wanted to do I said I wanted to go to Multnomah Falls. Now there is a story behind the falls...I have wanted to go forever...we drive by it a couple times each summer and I always say I want to go hike up to the falls. And everytime Jamie rolls his eyes...hiking and nature are not his thing unless it involves a golf course. But I figured it's Mother's Day...he can't say NO! So we loaded up and although he wasn't thrilled he was going to make the best of it. I should have known that on Mother's Day...when it is blue sky and sunny...going to get up to 70 degrees...we weren't the only people that thought the falls were a good idea! We waited in line to exit the freeway...then in line some more to find a parking spot. After finally finding one we unload the kids, get out the stroller and camera and make our way along with the rest of the crowd. Of course the first thing the kids see is the snack sign and it becomes a priority above all else. I tell them after we walk for awhile we can get snacks on the way back. We head up and fight our way to the edge of the viewing area to get some pictures and of course Jalen won't coopoerate. He is still obsessing about the candy at the snack shack. When nothing else works we use the candy as a bribe...take some cute pics and you can get the candy. The pictures are just okay...he won't stand still...he is doing the closed eye grin...and doesn't want to be too close to the girls. Not to metion the only spot that there will be no one else in the background is right in the sun so it's all hazy. Whatever...onto the hike and enjoy the sun and fresh air. WRONG. There are stairs so we can't take the stroller. I mean really...what guy designed this place?! We head back down to find out where the trails are that don't have stairs. Well going back down meant the snack shack because "remember mom you said on our way back!". $12 later in a bag of chips, a popsicle, a resses and a hot dog they were happy. Not so lucky for us...we have to drive back three exits to get to the other trails we can hike with the stroller. So...back to the car, load up, get on the freeway but going the wrong way. Remember this is I84 not I5 so we have to drive a bit in the WRONG direction before we have a chance to turn around. When we are finally on the right path again and getting ready to exit I turn around to find Jalen asleep. Great. He has a cold, and is cranky anyway and if I wake him up it will be a bigger disaster than it has been so far. So we bag the falls, bag the hike. Good thing we drove an hour...seriously we could have gone to Chevron and got the kids some snacks and called it good. Jamie was laughing and I'm sure I will later but in the moment it wasn't funny. He was laughing because it seems that it is always our luck that these things happen. It seems like whenever we TRY really hard to make something fun and special it totally backfires. It has made for some of our best memories...but at the time I couldn't let go of that "expectation" I had...the way I had played the day out in my mind...and the complete failure of execution. I was so bummed. We stopped in Troutdale hoping for some lunch and somehow ended up at the outlets. Jamie stayed in the car with Jalen while the girls and I got out to look around. Oh...the girls LOVE to shop. I can't blame them but I just wasn't in the mood today. They had clothes in their hands and were heading to the fitting rooms when I heard Jalen half whining half crying behind me. He had woken up and not happily. After paying for the kids clothes, Jamie got some new boxers...I'm thinking wow...it's Mother's Day and I'm the only one not getting anything...what is wrong with this picture?! We got home and Jamie who was just getting the beginning of Jalen's cold was not feeling that well and much like his son a little cranky! My dad asked if I wanted to hit balls so I took the girls with me and we went to the club. I figured at least I'm getting to enjoy this weather...and there aren't much better views than at the club. We had a good time...stopped by Nana's on the way home to deliver a card and gift and called it a day. When I got into bed I really just wanted to roll over and have a good cry...but when I did roll over I saw Ellie's poem laying on the nightstand and I had to smile. It's the little things that matter...and this gift from her heart and spending the day with the three little people that made me a mother is really what it is all about.
Title: MOM
Written by: Ellie
You're as generous as an angel
as beautiful as an amethyst,
You're always filling my spirit with laughter,
And you tell me don't give up, NO matter what.
You always are cheering me on,
You care for me like Jesus would,
You watch out for me in a way I can't describe.
You love to see the colors in the sky,
When the sun starts to rise, early in the morning.
Mom, I love you, you love me,
you're one and a million can't you see.
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