That's Good! No, that's Bad!

A couple years ago we received a very clever picture book for one of the children's birthdays entitled That's Good! That's Bad!, by Margery Cuyler. In its honor, I thought I'd try a riff about my day.

I was sooo tired all day today. Kept feeling like I wanted, no, urgently needed a nap.

Oh, that's bad.

No! That's GOOD. It forced me to actually lie down on my bed and read a delightful book during "quiet time," where my husband found me when he arrived midafternoon.

Oh, that's good.

No! That's BAD. The reason he arrived early was that I had to go to work, and tutor children in various stages of willingness while inwardly longing to put my head down on the table and snooze.

Oh, that's bad.

No! That's GOOD. When I arrived home, I was so ready to keep the whole evening simple and relaxed, so willing to abandon our unspoken "no TV at the dinner table" principle, that I cheerfully instigated a family viewing of "Wipeout," a show that draws us together in mutual hilarity.

Oh, that's good.

No! That's BAD. We started dinner late, so we started the show late, so the kids ended up staying up too late.

Oh, that's bad.

No! That's GOOD. By the time they were all ready for bed and had duly celebrated the very rare arrival of some rain in our back yard, the sun had fully set and they all wanted to cuddle up in a "family jumble" on our bed.

Oh, that's good.

No! That's BAD. After about two minutes of cozy bliss, the bickering over flashlights and misplaced body parts began.

Oh, that's bad.

No! That's GOOD, because it made me appreciate those fleeting moments when young children, often (let's face it) a major source of exhaustion to a full-time parent, are also very much the balm in Gilead that soothes that stress away. There's nothing quite like being all together, stinky feet and all.