A day in the life...

Some people that read this probably miss the time they had with their sweet children. Some people probably wonder how I get everything done in my life. Some people probably have experienced mornings like ours was today and can relate with us. Here's reality:

7:00 am
I was thrilled...the boys were dressed and we were headed out the door to Kountry Kids right on time (this doesn't happen too often). Elijah was not crying because he wasn't finished watching TV. Nolan was moving (which can be a challenging thing to get him to do). I was ready to go with keys in hand. I have Elijah's shoes in my hand and am about to carry him out the door to the car...

"Wait, Mom, my shoes....they are dirty." (Nolan)
"Oh, yeah, they were on the porch...." (me while thinking 1 - it rained last night. 2 - they had red dirt on them. and 3 - Ajax, our dog, always carries things on the porch out in the yard.)
I look outside and no sign of the shoes. I look in the yard and find 1 wet, dirty shoe. I can't see the other shoe. I go back inside.
I find another pair of shoes and say, "Do these fit?"
"I can't wear those to school." (rules...something about the gym)
"Okay...."
I look in the closet and there are probably 20 pair of shoes...some Elijah's, some Nolan's, some in between. There are cowboy boots which he can't wear...crocs which he can't wear....flip flops and sandals which he can't wear. I am starting to get irritated. I see a pair of shoes on the floor. "See if you can wear these."
"Nope, they are too small."
I go back outside to search again for the other wet, dirty shoe...no luck.
I go back inside and see a shoe...wait, I think this might work. Where is the other one? Oh, I think I remember that it's in my car. I go outside and sure enough there it is in the floorboard of the backseat where it's been for who knows how many months. I pick it up....I look down at these shoes that I think are going to work. Uh oh, they have dried red dirt on the bottom of them. I go to the sink...I try to clean them. I go outside...and beat them with all of the frustration that I have. They are still dirty. I clean them some more at the sink. I give them to Nolan, who is being very patient, by the way.
"Put these on..."
He bends down to put them on.
"Uh, these don't fit either."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
So, we have NO shoes that fit. The one pair that would work is wet and dirty and one of them is MIA.
"Where are your red and black nikes?"
"Brent, do you see the red and black nikes in there?"
"No."
Brent, I suppose, decides that he might as well go....which is fine because at this point I am at a loss for what I am going to do. At one point Brent has already suggested that he will have to stay home since we have no shoes that he can wear.
But wait, I spot the laundry basket which has been sitting in the living room for about 2 weeks. It is full of the boys clothes that need to be put up.
"Maybe they are in here..."
I begin to dig, throwing things out as I go. I finally find one of the nikes..."Here, put this on."
I dig for the other and finally reach it.
Yes! - I'm thinking. We are finally making progress.
I look up and Nolan is struggling to put the first one on without untying it!!!
"Here, let me help you."
I untie the shoes and get them loosened up for him.
I pick up Elijah (who is amazingly not whining or asking for anything through this entire process).
I carry him to the car and come back inside.
Nolan is still putting the shoes on...(I told you he is hard to get moving!)
I help him finish, I tie the shoes...Could someone please teach this child how to tie his shoes?
Finally, we are on our way - now 10 minutes later. Luckily, we will still get there in time for Nolan to eat breakfast before the bus leaves for Cooleemee Elementary.

"Mom, I think we need to go to the store and get me some new shoes that fit."
"Yes, I definitely think that you are right!"

THAT is what my life is like a lot of times. Do you really miss these times with young children? I'm sure that one day I will look back and laugh at times like these, but right now they are frustrating and keeping my prayers for strength and patience going! Am I the only mother that experiences these kind of things? And that's just 10 minutes out of my CRAZY day!