Rescued Again

There are times when living near both sides of our family can be tough. Making sure each family gets equal time at the holidays, is always a tense discussion between my spouse and myself.  Trying to remember whose turn is it at Thanksgiving, can we even try to host it this year?  But for all of that, living near family has some pretty great rewards.

I have called my mom, more times then I can count, to help me out in a bit of a jam. Mostly, when I have been sick and I needed help with the kids. I remember calling a few years ago when my husband and I both woke up with a terrible stomach flu. I called my mom and asked how soon could someone come pick up the kids. Grandpa arrived within two hours and whisked the boys away.

My mom has always made me soup, starting from the time Jack was born.  Last year, coming home to soup after a long day at work was always so nice. I didn't have to worry about what to cook for dinner, or if I could justify ordering pizza.  Dinner was on the stove, and all I had to do was make biscuits.

But tonight my mom rescued me yet again. Right before she was supposed to leave, she asked me a question about the Halloween costumes I was planning to make. What was my plan? Um, I don't really have a plan. I got sucked in at Joann's and went way outside my comfort zone in my plan for the boys' costumes. After a busy weekend, I knew I had 5 nights to figure out how to sew these things.  But I was tired, so tired. Finn woke up this morning at 5:15 and never went back to sleep. Combine that with picture day with the 2 year olds, and one boy who is deathly afraid of cameras, and you have a mom with no motivation at all.

My mom offered to stay. It will be easy, she says, we will be done in an hour. Are you kidding me? I planned 5 nights of intensive sewing to get this done.  But, I know my mom had a house in disarray, and a friend coming over to watch DWTS. I wanted her to be on her way, back to the peace and quiet of her house. She starts to give me few pointers and then says:

"Oh, just turn on your machine, I want to do this!"  Don't have to twist my arm!

An hour later I have 3 fantastic capes: two batman-to-be capes, one vampire cape. The boys are running through the house with capes flowing behind them.  I was in awe. She was right, in one hour, I had three capes that only need slight modifications to be the costumes my boys dreamed of.

And then as she is leaving she says, "Thanks for letting me stay!" Letting you stay, are you kidding me?! No way would I have even attempted that basting thing you did!

Rescued, once again, and tonight, I am thankful we live so close to family.

Don't let the scowl fool you, he loves his cape!