Goat-training and sleep depravity

I went to a first-time babysitting job on Friday evening for a set of adorable 3 year old twins, and an 18 month old. I LOVE little ones, so this is nothing but fun for me. However, before my night even started, I realized that my three nights of insufficient sleep were taking their toll. On my way there, I was following the directions I had written down on a notepad. Guess what? Directions to Macon, GA will not get you to a neighborhood by the Atlanta zoo. But I sure tried! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I realized I was following the directions to Macon from last week's directional needs and NOT the 3rd page of my note pad's directions (which contained those to the sitter's house).

1) I also want to esteem all of you mothers out there. I now understand why you have trimmed biceps and triceps. Clearly, I had not eaten a sufficient amount of my Wheaties that day, for it was all I could do to hold one each on an arm. I looked like a struggling sumo wrestler. Another realization that I needed more sleep.

2) I also understand why you're all stick thin. I could not master the art of feeding the three of them, making sure the green beans went in their mouth and not their noses, and answering a plethora of 'why' questions in the process. I never even thought about the fact that I hadn't managed to feed my own self until about 10 pm that night. I was too tired to care by that point.

3) Guess what else? The 3 year olds diapers doesn't go on the 18 month old. If you do that, it will fall off.

4) The twins apparently had made covenant with one another to not cease talking when they were supposed to go to bed. So they didn't...For an hour, my sleep depravity left me making the poor choice and thought that if I kept walking up the stairs to make them mind me, they would hush. (I'm sure you mothers are laughing!).

Praise Jesus. He brought to 'remembrance all things.' (Yes - It says ALL!). Warning - you can laugh at what follows. I once trained a goat (yes - you heard me...a goat) at the Atlanta Zoo my junior year of college for an Experimental Applied Psychology class. It's quite a fascinating field in all honesty, and the practical things we learned are actually used in child behavior. SO, I remembered how I taught my beloved goat to bow (yes - if you go to the Atlanta Zoo and find a goat named Amani, he will bow for you on command). Now hear me! I'm NOT saying that children are like goats!!! But I remembered how to reinforce and not reinforce whatever behavior it was that I was desiring. Oh yes mam - they were silent within the next twenty minutes :) Jesus really CAN redeem ALL things. Even the embarrassing confession that you trained a goat in college.

5) On my way home, despite my being tired, my empty stomach took reign. Hmm...what do I want at midnight! Oh but of course - Arby's! Because who doesn't love curly fries at midnight!?? I placed my order, got my sandwich, and drove off WITHOUT my fries or drink :( (Did I mention that earlier in my day I drove up to my dry-cleaners, rolled down the window to hand her my clothing, and didn't have any of it with me. Yea...I looked real cool then too.)

In conclusion, I want all of you to know that I got lots of sleep Saturday night. I was scheduled to work a double 13 hour shift at work, and told Jesus that I just didn't have it in me. Wouldn't you just know it that we had an extra person for the evening shift who was able to take my place. Oh He is so good.

And so is my bowing goat :)

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