Some Blips

I've kinda been running out of steam the past few days, and the lack of cleanliness in the house shows it. I also have not been following a morning routine - I'm not getting up early enough to get in a walk or workout before carpool (which I do Monday and Wednesdays) or even yesterday when I didn't have carpool. Yesterday I almost was going to workout but then Eth and Hyrum needed help jump starting the Fiesta. It needs a new battery soon.

They were late for school. Here at home, these little guys are being pretty good. They like to play the piano...

Peter likes to turn the volume down. We find it fascination that he always goes for that dial. He turns the volume all the way off and then cries cause he can't hear it. He's such a baby.

That was him after crying this morning for a few seconds while he waited for me to pick him up. He has one tear on each cheek. Most of their "kid problems" are easy to fix - Here's Daniel with another kid problem - this is one I always like fixing. Daniel was trying to put the head around his waist of his pajama shirt...

He was getting frustrated and seem to be at a loss for how to solve this -

...and then I get to swoop in and be the hero!

So things are good with just a few little blips. I'm sure all my problems seem, to God, like me being tangled up in my pj shirt. Mostly my loss of energy has been cause I've been putting my time into figuring out health insurance. We're hoping to wrap it up this week, but I was on the phone talking to an insurance rep waaay too long yesterday. During the day I try to keep as productive as possible and hang on as I wait for the kids to come home and rescue me / do their chores, but they haven't been stepping up much. I haven't been home after school to help follow through with them though which is part of the problem. Yesterday and today Wesley had performances after school with his Clayton Productions group and that's taken me away. Yesterday at the Murray Boys and Girls club, and tonight it was at the Festival of Trees. Wesley had Little Big Band tonight though (starts 5:15). He goes down there early with Ethan, who works at the Soundhouse Front Desk on Wednesdays 3-7 and they usually come home together. But I had to go down to pick him up early, cause he had to be at the Festival of Trees at 6:40 and Ethan isn't off until 7. Buuut on my drive down there, I couldn't help but notice the many cars in traffic on the northbound freeway. And the several police cars and ambulances. There were 3 accidents on the map, so even though I picked up Wes at 6:10, we didn't get to the performance on time. I was worried he wouldn't make it at all. Once I got on the freeway, google maps said it would take me an hour and 7 minutes to get there!

Better to be the one in traffic than the one in the accident. But I was kinda stressed for Wes and didn't know how his being absent would affect the group. And I didn't have anyone's number to call. Wes found a number of a parent who let him use their phone once, so we called him and he was able to relay a message that we might be late, then I found another number of the lady who gives us our invoices each month, and she was able to text me another number of a lady in charge. She told me that Wesley's group was performing second. And right about then we got past the accident and it was a 4 car pile up and looked really bad. And I kinda sped after that and we got there at 7:17 and Wes went running in. I parked in the car and nursed P while Daniel watched Tarzan. Wes didn't want to take his phone, so I told him to just come back out the same way. I guessed he'd be done in about 30-40 minutes, so at 7:55 I drove back over, and there he was. We were home at 8:08. 3 hours in the car for me, and thus is life in December. I like December more than Maycember though, cause it feels shorter. And the inversion is here, so the skys are gray. Cold, dark and gray, but there's warmth and lights inside. We can do this - we just have two more weeks before the break is here.

Update 12/5- so a friend shared this on facebook, and I thought I was in the traffic from her accident, but then found out hers was on Tuesday and was southbound. I was in Wednesday northbound, but seriously, it's crazy scary down there! I need to pray more for Ethan who drives the "Lehi luge" 3 times a week!

so here's the post from my friend, I shared it on facebook, we all have many opportunities to be kind~
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(Long post..but I had to #sharegoodness ! I had to let everyone know that one person really does make a difference! Also, I’m sharing some of my “laundry,” but please know that I know how blessed and fortunate I am. Life truly is good!)

Yesterday, for the first time in my life, I caused a traffic accident. And it was on a freeway, in construction. (The “Lehi Luge” for anyone who knows Utah) I looked at something for a brief moment, and when my eyes went back to the road ahead of me, all I saw were brake lights. I braked, but still smashed right into the car ahead of me. The other guy and myself had to drive about a mile to find a place to pull over, and I sobbed the whole way.

Why am I sharing this? Because this guy that *I* hit, jumps out of his car and runs to me, “it’s ok! It’s ok! This is my ‘junk’ car! Are you ok?! It’s going to be fine!” He COMFORTED ME. For several minutes. He could have (and may have) been super frustrated...and taken it out on me. He could’ve told me now he was going to miss an evening with his wife and kids. He could’ve complained and whined and made sure I knew it was my fault. And it was.

But he instead comforted me, a woman probably 15 years older than him, who could have done better. After the cop finished with our paperwork, this man got out of his car AGAIN to come shake my hand and offer more comfort. He said (to my snot-nosed, sobbing face), “In the grand scheme of things, this is just a blip! This is nothing, only ‘things’ were damaged. No one is hurt and we all get to go home. This is nothing.”

2019 has not been a banner year for the Pete Sims family. At one time or another several of us have been in the hospital. A couple of us have had ambulance rides. There have been things that just weigh on a person, and literally at the moment I caused the accident, I lost it. I completely deflated. My self-talk was so harsh I swear if you stood next to me you could have heard it ringing in my ears. I. Was. Done.

ONE man, one innocent, kind young man, changed everything for me. I will never, ever forget his kindness and patience and the lesson he taught me about love. He looked beyond his own troubles and saw a suffering woman in need of Christlike love. He lit my world this Christmas Season by emulating Jesus Christ. While this may sound a bit dramatic, I ask you, have you ever “lost it?” Just completely felt like there was nothing good you can do? Been “done?” Try remembering those feelings, and imagine what this guy did for me.

I am so, so grateful. I’m also grateful for the kindest Highway Patrolman I’ve ever met. He laughed with me and we talked about things we had in common. He was so great.

I literally needed *kind* at that very moment. And God sent me two angels. Two young men just doing their best that had no idea how much their kindness would mean to me. If we could ALL just be kind. People are important, things are not! I’m grateful for the reminder, and I hope to pay it forward. #kindness #lighttheworld #utahhighwaypatrol #goodmen