Day 4: Overwhelmed

I encounter the question a lot these days.

"How do you take care of two kids and have a job?"

My answer is always this.

"I don't know. I just do it."

That's got me to thinking though, about just how I do it.

And yesterday provided me with the answer.

A brief detour first...
About three weeks ago when I was pulling into the driveway after book club I crashed my car into Ross' truck. There was some decent damage to my cute car but the truck came out okay.

A week after that, I got a speeding ticket. The third ticket in 16 years of driving. I don't know what's worse: A snarky police officer, finding out that the speed limit on a road you drive regularly changes three times, and there are almost no signs to deliniate the difference, or having your inquisitive two year old (who happens to think all snarky men in uniform are awesome) asking you a million questions about the cop, and why you won't just drive away.

Wasn't my best moment.

Ross paid my ticket this week. $115. Merry Christmas to South Jordan. When paying my ticket he realized that the snarky copy who pulled me over was the same snarky cop who pulled him over 2 months prior, for entering a left hand turn lane too early.

Can you say quota? Good Job.

Flash forward to Monday night. I was making chocolate mousse - I screwed up major in the egg department. In desperation I called a friend whom I now owe at least a dozen eggs.

Yesterday was the Young Women's program I made the mousse for. I was also in charge of a video - the video that was to be the primary form of entertainment for the entire program.

I was in a training yesterday (that whole, working mom thing) from 8:30 - 2:00. My mom was there, it was fun.

I got home at 2:30 and ran to my computer to put the finishing touches on my video.

Only to realize that I had created it in a program and saved it in a format that I couldn't get it off my laptop. If I'd had my wits about me, I could have figured something else out, but there were no wits to be found so I started to panic.

And redo. the. entire. thing. from. scratch.

Idiot!

Re-tard!

Spaz!

I'll save you the file conversion horror show, and the dying a slow death home computer misery story.

In the end, I got the video finished...at 6:30. the program was at 7:00. I had one chance to make it work, and thank heavens for all those prayers that it did work. Just in the literally nick of time.

Now, back to the question of "How do I do it?" and how I found my answer.

The answer came yesterday.

My very kind husband who is also a helluva a dad took the morning off yesterday while I was working. While he was home, he had to go to work for a quick presentation so his parents covered for him for an hour or so. Then, my sweet wonderful cousin came to Ross' rescue and had the boys for the early afternoon. She takes such good care of them.

When my children were back under my care again, and a little grumpy too boot, things started to go haywire. Stress is not my friend. Or even my "frienemy".

The more I began to panic about my project and about my failure to do things in a timely manner (I'd had my dumb movie done for 2 weeks, but failed to realize my tech. issues until the last minute), the more my husband came to my rescue. He called me to check on my status and mental health. He helped me try to come up with a back up plan and reassure me that things would work out. He came home from work early, took the boys and ordered dinner so I could stare at my blasted computer and try not to cry.

I guess that's why opposites attract. He was capable of calming my inner spaz while I was on the verge of a mental collapse.

That was just yesterday. I cannot tell you all the days that I have help, and am rescued - sometimes when I NEED it and sometimes when I WANT it. Those of you who are moms, know the difference, right?

The next time I get asked the, "How do you do it all?" question I know my answer.

I do it "all" with lots and lots of help.