Be an Adult

So, yesterday after school Ethan was hanging with friends. Once it was past dinner time, he decided to file his taxes. He decided to go to Corey's parent's house to do it with their software. Corey was able to help Mel file hers from home. But Ethan finished his and went by the post office to drop it off on his way home. ...but the whatever machine there wasn't working. So they drove to a different post office, and there was some issue there too (all these "last minute" people!) At 11:44 he sends a text "Stuck in line at the post office" I ask "Do you think you're almost done?" (we wanted to go to bed...) "How many people are left in front of you?" His reply... "Well there were only like 4 but the machine broke so we drove to another one at the U and it's also broken so we've been standing around trying to fix it..." I ask "You and a bunch of people?" "Me and grandpa". (Sorry he dragged you into this, Wayne!)

10 minutes later... "I hate this. I never want to become an adult." That made me laugh.

12:50 am "Just got home"

So he was out trying to send in his taxes until almost 1 AM. Poor Wes stayed after school and was held hostage in the back of the car as they drove around trying to send the taxes off. So Wes didn't get to bed until 1 either. But... Wes got up at 6 and went to school. Ethan did not.

At 6 I attempted to wake him up for jazz band. I'm not sure if he was conscious or not, but I tried, and I said I would not be excusing this absence if he missed jazz band. Then my Ethan proceeded to sleep until 3 PM. He's admitted that he could sleep all day if he wanted to, and I believe him. But I didn't think he'd miss the whole day! He stumbled out at 3 o'clock... "Where is everybody? What happened?" They are at school... He was in a daze. But he's gotta figure out how to not be incoherent in the mornings if he plans on making it in college, on a mission, and in life in general. So I'm not planning on excusing it, so we'll see how this plays out. Owen and Daniel asleep in their beds at 8am.

Daniel looks comphy all squished in the corner. 

Later when D woke up, he got in Peter's little bouncy chair.

Remembering the good ol' days when he was the baby...

You ready to grow up, Daniel?

It's tough growing up and having to stay up late and get up early and pay taxes and stuff, but it's a part of living in the world we've got today. It's funny, I asked Ethan about his "I never want to be an adult" comment and he said that all the people standing in line to send off their tax returns just looked old, sad, and depressed and it made him not want to be like them. Yeah it kinda stinks, but it's part of growing up. Gotta overcome that "baby self" and man up and becoming a contributing member of society. Peter didn't want that today. He was sad and crying and wouldn't nurse, but I was on a 1 on 1 call with Holly, so I left him to cry it out.

He cried for a little bit but soon was asleep. My call with Holly was really great, she gave me advice on how to better support Corey by asking specifically "What can I help you with today" instead of the "What can I do for you" that we usually ask each other. Doesn't seem like a big difference, but it is different, and Corey told me something I could do to help him - I called the insurance and Peter is now added, so that should hopefully work out, we'll see when the bills come again. And I also called and set up an appointment for him to see and orthopedic specialist for his ankle that he hurt in 2007 one night when we were playing capture the flag in Brazil. All I did was make 2 phone calls but it totally helped him feel supported and changed the mood of the "we're in over our head" mentality.

"Things are turning around!" haha. Not really, but if we think it is, well maybe that's the first step is for us to believe it. Maybe we'll be able to man up and stop ourselves from feeling like we're drowning in kids and mess and life. It's more fun to be an adult when you've got a companion to navigate it with.