"I'm on my way!"

I remember the first time my littlest son (now 5 years old) poured out an entire box of 'Family-Size' Cheerios. I watched helplessly as 1000's of Cheerios rolled off the table and onto the floor, rolling under chairs and cabinets and into the hallway and living room. I remember spending 20 minutes, thinking I had cleaned them all up, only to find another one several hours later by the sink. I remember thinking "I will never leave the box of Cheerios on the table with a kid again." Then it happened again. And again. And again. It might have been a different box of cereal, but it happened over and over. The picture below is from this last November. I was making some homemade applebutter at the time and while stirring a boiling pan of apple butter, I heard it...the unmistakable sound of Cheerios hitting the floor. My 'new' littlest one, following in his brother's footsteps.

Oh, and don't think I'm perfect except for the cereal thing. No, I've watched 1000's of puzzle pieces pouring out of puzzle boxes. I watched 100's of playing cards and MILLIONS of dollars from the Game of Life and MONOPOLY litter the floor of my home. And nearly always just before company.😕 What is my children's fascination with pouring things out all over?! Why do they have to make such a huge mess?!

I've discovered that it begins far earlier than I ever thought. I remember running so close to on time, I might have made it to church before the hymn began. And then, I had to stop to change a diaper. Before my kids could even walk, they were wreaking havoc on my schedule. And not by just a little bit. Do you know how long it takes to clean up a blow-out diaper? We're talking a full-out bath, load of laundry, and a carpet cleaning diaper! It's a miracle that I have made it to ANYTHING in the 5 years I've been home. Thank goodness my sweet wife is there to pick up the pieces when they all fall apart.

My only prayer is that when people ask, "Have you left yet?" and then hear my answer, "I'm on my way!" that they truly believe me.