Every day can't be your best day.

Before you start thinking about how emotional this post is going to be - don't. This post's title comes from a song that, for some mysterious reason of its own, has become my anthem of the semester. Jeremy made a CD for me awhile ago and he didn't think I'd like this song - but it cracks me up. Seriously, every time it comes on I smile - it's almost humorous. I would play it on the way to work every morning for a while, but it's been a week or so since I heard it last. Until this evening, that is.

Backing up, today actually was a pretty crappy day. I had to drive out to the edge of the county (county, not country - for those of you who add letters to words like I do) because the kids were getting haircuts and apparently no place in THEIR city is good enough. So I took care of them, two at a time, while all three had their little blonde hairs trimmed. Unfortunately that meant taking them into the next-door bakery, as per their mother's suggestion. I forget sometimes how very humble my childhood was; I STILL walk through any shop or store that I go to and look at things without even thinking of buying them. It frustrates Amelia to no end to go shopping with me - while she takes a stack to the fitting rooms, I pick something up, say with sincerity, "Ah, this is so nice!" and promptly put it back. That's just how I was raised - it's not like we were deprived of anything we needed, or anything... we just didn't splurge. Ever. Anyway - all that to say that not all families are like mine was. It's just kind of hard for me to not only watch, but be a part of, such splurging. I don't think it's healthy for kids to be trained to walk into a store and order whatever they want - but y'know. Who am I to judge. It's not like I'm a responsible adult who was raised to pay for my own things.

cough.

ANYWAY, so there was the salon and the bakery... and then I drove the kids back to their house, and kept them busy until two of their friends could come over. I had thought, when their mom told me of the afternoon plans, that little friends would keep the kids self-entertained. I don't remember EVER having a parent (much less a babysitter) looming around me and my friends while we were playing. Kids can play alone, right? False! Having friends over only means that the nanny gets two MORE little ones to keep out of trouble. So Parents, be aware - don't send your kid over to your neighbor's just because there is a babysitter there. It's poor sportsmanship.

So long story short, I watched five kids today - dealt with all of the hunger and thirst, the smashed toes, the tears, the crazed hyper screaming, the arguing over what TV show to watch during the last half hour... sigh. Okay, I'm sorry - it's not all that bad, really. I'm still very thankful to have a job. And sometimes the kids are alarmingly sweet - the 3 year old, especially, seems to really love me. It's just that some days it's harder to deal with all of this than others. Today was just... well, not my best day.

But then, every day can't be, can it? ;)

After work, I found myself going to the harbor again - the sunset was, for the second day in a row, completely BREATHTAKING, OHMYGOSHWHYISTHEWORLDSOBEAUTIFUL?!. Except, haha, sometimes the world is really stupid. Men. GAH. Until tonight I hadn't felt bothered or afraid or stalked or anything during my walks - always just a peaceful aloneness. Tonight, however, was different. First of all, on the bridge there was a photographer dude taking pictures of the sky. We were walking opposite ways, until I walked past him, and then he stopped. He watched me for a while and then started walking after me. I walked a bit faster. He walked a bit faster. I sped up, he sped up. We continued in this fashion until I came across a small family who was enjoying the view, and I tagged along a few yards away from them. The photographer stopped following me and walked the other way again. So that was one. Then - oh, I didn't write about this. Last night, I started feeling a little paranoid because there was this older guy walking behind me, and for some reason I had it in my mind that it might be the guy who was stalking me last year at school. (For real - I had a legitimate stalker. Police were involved. Not sure if I ever wrote about that.) I was juuuuust starting to get worried, when I saw a security guard riding up on a bicycle. Salvation!, I thought. I felt safe. I looked ahead at the fellow on the bike and said, "Hello!" He gave me a quick look-over and said, "Hello, beautiful." This usually wouldn't have bothered me so much, except that I was already feeling afraid of men and then to have THAT from a SECURITY GUARD was just too much. I shot him the dirtiest look I could muster and continued on my way. So that was last night - then this evening, I came across the same be-bicycled guard, after the incident with the photographer. I told him hello, and he smiled smugly and told me hello - and that was that. But now I hate men. I don't hate them for objectifying women or even for just saying stupid things nearly as much as I hate them for ruining my walks.

Jerks.

So by the time I pulled into my driveway, I was feeling incredibly tired and grouchy at the world. I planned to go into the house, say, "Hey dude" to Kate (wherever she happened to be), and go hide in my room for awhile where no one could bother me.

Ha.

I opened the door, put my keys down, and said, "Hey dude." Suddenly...



Kate hit a key on the computer and "The Best Day" blared throughout the house. She started into her drunk lizard dance, and what could I do but join her? And I'm sorry for the language, but sometimes you just need to shout along with the lyrics here. So we shouted and danced about like heathens round a campfire for a good long time. I don't know how she does it... but sometimes that sister of mine is just magic.

Also, I wrote a short story last night. It's a bit rough - I need to find a good way to end it, too - but I think it has some genuinely good things about it. It just felt so good to WRITE.

So alllllll of this to say... the world is weird and hard and scary. But it can be so unexpectedly glorious sometimes. Thank you for teaching us, God.