It was probably one of the worst days that I have had since we moved here to the city. A day when coming home tonight on the subway I wanted to burst out in tears, but was afraid that it would worry Madeleine and Jacob (the B's had a special day today, which eventually the story will unfold as I tell this...hang tight). Also, I was worried that people would look at me like I was a complete nut - which I am, but really bursting out in sobs on the subway was probably not the best of the best idea.
We were all running a little behind, and after the B's ran out to the door, I was trying to get our crew out the door. Somehow Jacob had in his mind that he needed to take his scooter. Which I was definitely not going to let happen. As we were going on the subway over to the Stake Center - which is on the subway, and it's just snowed A LOT this week, so there isn't space to really ride on the sidewalk with snow piled up anywhere. Also, I was thinking of taking the kids to the Natural History Museum as we would already be over on the West Side and it would give us something to do while the B's were out. Anyway - I was not going to carry a scooter around the museum! Or on the subways!
However, Jacob was not thrilled with my decision of 'no scooter'. In fact here is how our exit tried to go. He wouldn't put his coat and boots on. So, I started to walk out our door and down to the elevator. Meanwhile Jacob decided to lay down on the floor in the hallway, yelling over and over "Scooter! I want my scooter!" I realized my strategy of pretending the problem didn't exist was not working, so I went and picked him up and carried him and my 2 bags and his coat, boots, hat and gloves to take the elevator downstairs....where he yelled and cried all the way down to the lobby. I then tried to have him sit down so we could talk and I could get him ready - but he was still yelling at me, and when I asked him to please stop crying it was his official "NEVER!" response. And so I tried to just put on his boots - which didn't work. At this point, Madeleine realized she had forgotten something upstairs (this happens about 75% of the time, which pulls a whole new twist on the running back inside to grab something when you have to take the elevator up to 8). I sent Madeleine back upstairs, while I picked up Jacob again and was going to walk outside with him....but then the crying started even more, and the doorman was giving me some looks (and this is our nice doorman, I can only imagine what Anne would have been doing or saying!), so I sat down where Jacob had sprawled himself next to the door and was in his full-blown tantrum phase. Wow - there is nothing like taking the tantrum right in a prime public setting. AHHHHHHH!
Somehow I finally got Jacob to listen - we seem to have this deal where once Jacob is partially exhausted from his tantrum, then I can tell him to stop crying, he will say he can't until he gets a hug, I give him a hug while his sobs/tantrums finally subside. It tends to work...some of the time ;)
Finally, Jacob accepted a hug. He calmed down, and we walked outside. And then he remembered he wanted his scooter. And we started the tantrums all over again. I realized I had $20, but not a quarter in my wallet for the bus fare as the bus came by to go to the metro. I got on and asked the guy if the bus would be able to tell if my MetroCard had enough money on it for fare. So, I swiped my card and lucky me - there was 50 cents on my card that was now taken by insufficient fare, and got to step off the bus and listen to Jacob whining again about his scooter. Wow - the day was just off to such a great start!
We were going to walk, when the red bus came and I decided to ask for mercy from the driver and see if I could pay back the quarter later. Thankfully, the driver heard Jacob wailing beside me and my desperate face, and he told me no problem. In a way....that was shockingly nice as he probably knew that he'd be listening to a crying child on his bus for an undetermined amount of time! I took Jacob to the back of the bus, and finally he let me hold him and he quit crying --- and it helped I had a new pack of gum. That piece of gum worked like magic. Finally something was working like magic.
This story is taking forever - so here we go to faster reporting:
So I saved it for when I got home.
And then it all came rushing out, and I had one very surprised, terrified and humored (is that a word?) husband. He went from concerned, listening and trying to be sympathetic...maybe even empathetic....to laughing at me because today really was a day where everything seemed to go wrong - and then a man who was backing away from me....probably because in my anguish I had taken to occasionally throwing out a punch to his shoulder. It was helping me feel a lot better to get everything out of my system - but he was getting a little nervous for his safety. He suggested that I hit the pillow or the bed. I suggested that I take a bath and he fix dinner. We agreed that was probably the best for everyone.
Then he suggested I write this all down, so that in 2 weeks I could read about it and laugh. I took Jacob's favorite word and came back with "NEVER! I'll never laugh about this".
And I'll start by giving my rant of what I was crying about to Bryson.....
For today I was going to a Primary Training Meeting (new calling - well, old-new calling as the Primary Chorister...this is my 4th time! Which now ties for how many times I've been a Ward Missionary), and I was taking Madeleine and Jacob. Bryson Sr. was taking Bryson Jr. to basketball and then they both had dentist appointments - and then they were going on a B's activity (their terminology for the one-on-one "date" activity). Little Bryson was so excited for his own time with Daddy!
For today I was going to a Primary Training Meeting (new calling - well, old-new calling as the Primary Chorister...this is my 4th time! Which now ties for how many times I've been a Ward Missionary), and I was taking Madeleine and Jacob. Bryson Sr. was taking Bryson Jr. to basketball and then they both had dentist appointments - and then they were going on a B's activity (their terminology for the one-on-one "date" activity). Little Bryson was so excited for his own time with Daddy!
We were all running a little behind, and after the B's ran out to the door, I was trying to get our crew out the door. Somehow Jacob had in his mind that he needed to take his scooter. Which I was definitely not going to let happen. As we were going on the subway over to the Stake Center - which is on the subway, and it's just snowed A LOT this week, so there isn't space to really ride on the sidewalk with snow piled up anywhere. Also, I was thinking of taking the kids to the Natural History Museum as we would already be over on the West Side and it would give us something to do while the B's were out. Anyway - I was not going to carry a scooter around the museum! Or on the subways!
However, Jacob was not thrilled with my decision of 'no scooter'. In fact here is how our exit tried to go. He wouldn't put his coat and boots on. So, I started to walk out our door and down to the elevator. Meanwhile Jacob decided to lay down on the floor in the hallway, yelling over and over "Scooter! I want my scooter!" I realized my strategy of pretending the problem didn't exist was not working, so I went and picked him up and carried him and my 2 bags and his coat, boots, hat and gloves to take the elevator downstairs....where he yelled and cried all the way down to the lobby. I then tried to have him sit down so we could talk and I could get him ready - but he was still yelling at me, and when I asked him to please stop crying it was his official "NEVER!" response. And so I tried to just put on his boots - which didn't work. At this point, Madeleine realized she had forgotten something upstairs (this happens about 75% of the time, which pulls a whole new twist on the running back inside to grab something when you have to take the elevator up to 8). I sent Madeleine back upstairs, while I picked up Jacob again and was going to walk outside with him....but then the crying started even more, and the doorman was giving me some looks (and this is our nice doorman, I can only imagine what Anne would have been doing or saying!), so I sat down where Jacob had sprawled himself next to the door and was in his full-blown tantrum phase. Wow - there is nothing like taking the tantrum right in a prime public setting. AHHHHHHH!
Somehow I finally got Jacob to listen - we seem to have this deal where once Jacob is partially exhausted from his tantrum, then I can tell him to stop crying, he will say he can't until he gets a hug, I give him a hug while his sobs/tantrums finally subside. It tends to work...some of the time ;)
Finally, Jacob accepted a hug. He calmed down, and we walked outside. And then he remembered he wanted his scooter. And we started the tantrums all over again. I realized I had $20, but not a quarter in my wallet for the bus fare as the bus came by to go to the metro. I got on and asked the guy if the bus would be able to tell if my MetroCard had enough money on it for fare. So, I swiped my card and lucky me - there was 50 cents on my card that was now taken by insufficient fare, and got to step off the bus and listen to Jacob whining again about his scooter. Wow - the day was just off to such a great start!
We were going to walk, when the red bus came and I decided to ask for mercy from the driver and see if I could pay back the quarter later. Thankfully, the driver heard Jacob wailing beside me and my desperate face, and he told me no problem. In a way....that was shockingly nice as he probably knew that he'd be listening to a crying child on his bus for an undetermined amount of time! I took Jacob to the back of the bus, and finally he let me hold him and he quit crying --- and it helped I had a new pack of gum. That piece of gum worked like magic. Finally something was working like magic.
This story is taking forever - so here we go to faster reporting:
- The first subway transfer worked well, and at the 2nd one it was realized that the train station was closed, so we got to get out and walk the final few blocks. Not a big deal - we are already late, Jacob is whining with each step that he wants his scooter. Then he asks for his stroller. Which I definitely want as well...
- We get into the church and take the elevator upstairs and realize the opening/welcome session of the meeting finished and people are in their first session. Not the biggest problem I've experienced that day. I got Jacob settled into the nursery room and Madeleine with some other girls that were there with their mom doing an art project and then I went to the room for the session - and realized all the seats were taken, and there wasn't even standing room. Okay, not so much a problem. I could just....no, I wasn't really comfortable just walking into another session which wasn't for me ---- really to go into the Nursery or Activity Days Session. So, since I was running late anyway I thought I'd just take a minute to regroup and I went into an empty room to sit for a minute. And I was enjoying my peace - until the door opened up and it was a gal in my ward and a high councilman so she could get set apart. And I was a bit embarrassed.
- Finally our session started and I enjoyed some new tips on leading music. However, after the session we went in for some lunch - only to find out they had run out of food....again. This is the 2nd time I have gone into a meeting at the Stake Center and the food is all gone! I know I shouldn't expect much....it's just something nice that they offer, but I had kind of hoped that I'd have a little bit of something yummy to eat. Oh - and they hadn't set up enough tables so that was a bit awkward for those of us that came in from the last session.
- I'm hungry and talking to two of the ladies in our primary, and someone from the stake comes up and goes to the gal in the middle and says, "Thank YOU for coming to the training today," and shakes her hand and then walks off. Hmmmm...that was a bit interesting. I turned to her and said, "Do you know her? Is she like the...?" Her response was affirmative - that was the Primary President for our Stake and they had never met. This stake and their personalities can be rather bizarre! I know this sounds sensitive....but still sometimes I just wish people would think through what their actions do and how others feel from them?!!!
- As we were leaving the church, I stopped to talk to the gal that is called as co-chorister in our primary. That is right, we have 2 choristers! The bishopric wants us to share the calling so that we can each go to Sunday School and Relief Society. That makes sense and is nice. However, there are some parts to sharing a calling like this that can get tricky - so I stopped to talk to the other chorister and see about some options. And it ended up that she was telling me how we should run this. And to be truthful, that did bother me just a tad. But then again ---- there were already many triggers that had already set me off today, this was just a minor annoyance.
- I decided that we would go ahead and go to the museum, although I was hungry and starting to get a headache from lack of food. Jacob was whining that he was tired. And I was carrying an extra bag with Madeleine's American Girl Felicity tucked inside....but at least we weren't also toting the scooter around!
- We needed to take a little stroll over and up a few blocks to catch the subway....since Jacob would complain every step of the way....and he did. So we walked 8 blocks to take a subway another 8 blocks. And then we were finally at the museum....
- ....and I realized I was still very hungry. And my head was starting to pound. However, all I could in my head was Bryson saying "Don't spend any money it's the end of the month!" So, what is a girl to do? If I had been smart I would have just gone for a big salad, but instead I took the kids on an adventure around the museum which sits on a huge block - looking for Shake Shack to get a burger. Then, when we found it...the line was insane. I actually couldn't even see where the end of the line was. So, I decided against that place, and went to the Deli next door, and got a bagel and cream cheese for Madeleine and Jacob to share - and I still didn't get anything to eat.
- After we finally got into the museum I realized the line was sooooo long, and double-checked with the kiddos to make sure they wanted to stay. They did. I finally got through the line and we boogied into the exhibits. As we were walking through and seeing all these incredible exhibits - I realized....I was still hungry AND my legs were tired....just like Jacob's. Who still happened to be complaining.
- Meantime I was trying to get in touch with Bryson Sr. to find out where they might be on their special outing, because I know Bryson Jr. had wanted to go to the Natural History Museum. I didn't want to crunch in on their time - but I really wanted to meet up and have dinner. Ugh.
- Finally after we had wandered through most of the 1st floor of the basement, we decided it was time to head home. We waited at the subway station for an extra special amount of time, and then when a subway train came we got on....and I remember thinking that Train C might not get us where we want, but then again the trains were mixed up this morning and we had made it to the right transfer.
- This time the train was wrong. And we went one stop too far. And that was a major mistake.
- It ended up that that extra stop, needed to be two, because I couldn't switch from going to downtown to the uptown train. We took the subway one extra stop - which landed us at the 42nd Time Square stop which is where we needed to switch trains - AND directions, and it wasn't the usual up and over to switch trains. Ahhhh....by this time my patience was wearing very thin.
- We finally got to the right side of the train station and waited another crazy amount of time for the right time. Then took the train back in the direction to the station that I should have changed at the first time, and then changed trains to wait for yet another train.
- Have I mentioned how hungry we are all at this point? Which is making us a bit on the grumpy side....
- We finally got to the island train station when I got the text from Bryson that they were home, so I thought it would be great to have Bryson start dinner....although he was busy watching BYU get beat in basketball. So that idea didn't work so well...
- We hopped off the bus and ran into our island grocery store to grab a few things that we'd need & then tromped through the snow - with Jacob complaining (I'm seeing a pattern to this day!).
- We finally got home and all I could think was that this was a day that I wish we had just stayed home! Sometimes the adventure of living and being out and about in NYC is not that much of an adventure, but feels more like the trials that accompany life anywhere else you might be in the world. Even in Australia there are terrible, horrible, no good very bad days!
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