HerdingChaos

We are getting new carpet. You have to understand that we intended on getting new carpet shortly after we moved into this house. That was over 5 years ago. This carpet already needed to be replaced and has now seen two cats, a dog and one growing to three kids over the past five years.

Getting the carpet has been a series of failed missions until now. Usually I shop in the "mission" mode. I pick out an objective. Then plan the mission. Then go in; get it; get out.

So far the carpet missions have been more like:

• go in
• look at things for about 2 minutes
• chase children playing in the paint stripper
• start looking for 1 minute
• chase children away from the toilet displays (bad things could have happened there)
• look for another 3 minutes
• chase the children outside into the car
• give up and take them to McDonald’s while we sit around and try to figure out where the mission when wrong

This Saturday we were able to complete a successful mission.

The day started with a trip into the city for a music and magic show. The kids really had a great time. They sold these HUGE balloons as part of the fund raising efforts. Andrew wanted one of the large red balloons. I had to hook up a 10oz bottle of water that and fill it to ballast the balloon so it would not float up in the gym. However when we were walking to the car I made the mistake of setting the balloons down. An updraft of wind caught it and it started to float away. We were lucky, the wind died down and the balloon slowly floated back down (glad I filled the water bottle all the way up!). Of course it took a while to float back down and I went off a chased it. A tall geeky dad chasing this gigantic balloon was not lost on the crowd. I got quite a few smiles and my kids were giggling the entire time.

That balloon did not fit in the back of the wagon. I had to squeeze it very carefully to get it to fit and not pop. It was very elliptical by the time I could close the gate door.

Then the whole family went to EZ’s for lunch.

The night before, my parents called and asked if we wanted some time to ourselves. They offered to take the kids for a few hours and spoil and pamper them like only grandparents can.

So when given the choice:

• romantic dinner
• a walk through the park holding hands and talking about things that adults talk about that does not include talking about the children
• sleep
• stopping by to see some friends and hang out
• go shopping for carpet and accomplish a five year old mission and put a string of horrid failures behind us

I am sure you would have made the same choice given the opportunity. No really, in less than three weeks this house will be full of new carpet. I have the rest of my life to lay on that carpet and plan romantic dinners and walks through the park!