A night at the McDonald's

***Note: Forgive me for making what could be a short story, long.

Grace won a gift card to McDonald's at our parish picnic. She was so excited and we've saved it till just the right night to go! Last night was the night. A little mid-week excitement to get us through to Friday. Trying to be the healthy person I want our family to be, I made a good healthy lunch for the kids and I. Then I declared the good news, "at 5 o'clock we'll go to McDonald's for supper!" "yay!!" went the choir of children.

On our way, the kids giggle with glee in the back. We park, get out of the car, all hold hands through the parking lot and make our way inside. Baby on the Right hip, 3 "littles" pulling off my left arm, I inform the 2 oldest that they need to be good examples to the shinning "2 year old of the year." She received that title from her outstanding performance of going above and beyond the stereotypical 2-y.o. stubbornness and assertiveness. Good job Bella. Continue to strive for excellence and these qualities will be your strong suit later in life, if channeled in the right direction...

Anyway, The older two lovely children, vow to be my wing-men and help me keep darling 2 year old in check, as we make our way up to the register. "They'll be good listeners and stay close," I think to myself.

We order, get our food, water and bundle of napkins, ketchup on the side for Bella and Grace, "but not for Anthony" says Bella, 5 times just to make sure I know Anthony doesn't want ketchup. Followed by "only me and Grace" again 5 times.

We all sit and say grace. Kids dive happy into their hamburgers knowing that if they eat well they'll get the sundae. I sit, with Thomas in my arms, watching the beautiful children God gave us. I'm proud to be there with my four children, enjoying this special time with them. I am on extra alert and little leery of the guy sitting in the booth behind us and his phone conversation.

I start to feed Thomas as I watch Bella pick off the cheese from her hamburger. Thomas pulls back, not wanting to drink his milk. Bella, protests as I ask her politely to eat a little meat with her cheese. Like a good girl, she takes a big bite. Even if it was with a disagreeable look on her face.

More families walk in, creepy guy leaves, 2 airmen take his spot behind us. Kids finish their food and try to scatter around McDonald's. I inform them that they need to stay at the table to eat their sundae. Bella protests loudly but listens in just enough time to be able to get her Sundae. Smart move.

Happy kids Eat their Sundaes....
I love watching Grace. She loves food, at least the food she likes. :) She sat there with her ice cream, thinking, slowly eating it from her spoon. Every once in a while she'd comment on her thoughts, letting me go where her little mind wandered. I loved every minute of it.
Delighting over His ice cream and life in general, Anthony is happy to smile for the camera

Bella, eating her ice cream faster than a marine in boot camp, is upset that I would even think to take a picture of her. She looks at me suspiciously as I snap the camera at Anthony. I didn't lie, he's in the picture, right?

Both Grace and Anthony put their lids on their cups and say that they're going to save theirs for tomorrow. While at the same time, Bella jumps to her feet, on the seat, and tips the cup to her lips hoping to get every last drop of fudge and melted ice cream from her cup.

I snap my camera, hoping to contain such cuteness in a photo but am caught in the act...

A smile would have made this picture a little better but who needs a sweet smile when your covered in ice cream and fudge, one pant leg up and one down... really isn't that all the sweetness we can handle? Hmmmm, pretty sure I could handle more sweetness.

Like a glass being shattered from high-pitched noise, my internal peace I've been striving for all week has found a little hole to seep out of...I inform Bella that the loud, piercing scream that almost made for another earthquake here in WF, can not happen again.

I really hate that hot feeling you get when your out in public and your sure all eyes have turned in your direction, staring at you, waiting to see your next move. I try so very hard to not let that feeling dictate how I handle our children. Quickly gathering my peace and patience, I cheerfully let the kids know "it's time to go." My arms are starting to go numb from holding Thomas and the bottle and trying to clean up spills and ketchup at the same time.

We work together throwing away trash and picking up our booth. Grace washes her hands with a water-soaked napkin while Bella, keeping in beat with the example from the above picture, insists on washing her hands in the sink. The two air-men's eyes look from me to Bella with intent looks wondering who will win this battle. Smiling at them, I turn to Bella and let her know we'll wash up when we get home, for now she can also use a water-soaked napkin like Grace. With a few stomps, kicks of her legs and lips pursed in a disagreeable fashion, she unhappily obeys.

I turn around to find that Anthony dropped his sundae cup on the ground. The little bit that spilled out he was trying to pick up with his hands, with little success of course he licks the "floor ice cream" off his fingers. Filled with pure nausea at this site, I calmly tell him why that's not a good idea to lick the ice cream off his fingers that he got off the McDonald's floor. I propose to him, "lets get napkins" "ok" he replies as his hand again goes down to the ice cream on the floor and back up to his mouth, indicating there is in fact a tunnel going from one ear to the other that doesn't pass through the brain. I firmly grab his hand, in time, before it reaches the mouth and firmly but quietly tell him again to not lick the ice cream, that was on the floor, from his hands. "Lets get a napkin!" I don't know if all eyes were on us at this moment but if they weren't yet they will be soon... I walk over to napkin tower (purse on shoulder, holding Bella's hand so she doesn't run a muck through McD's, Thomas is till on my hip) and pull out a napkin, only to have the whole tower tumble down onto the floor. Crash and Burn. Eyes on me, my face red for sure. Bad night to wear a sweater and jeans. The airman jumps up to help me pick up the tower. Poor guy, picks it up and all 1000 napkins fall out onto the floor. I think to myself, "Thanks buddy for trying to help, it was a nice try."

I look around for an employee to help and the burning feeling of all eyes on me turned into reality. It really wouldn't have been so bad if someone would have just given me a smile, even if it was just a sympathetic one. But nope, not even a smirk. Deep breath in..... out..... it's ok, right? It's really ok if they're all thinking "she has her hands full," It's true, at the moment I do, literally.

I quickly thought back from the time we walked in till that moment. Really, the kids had been very good, we enjoyed our time. Sure, I didn't eat, I battled Thomas to eat, I had to remind Bella of her inside voice and her manners several times and had to remind the kids to stay close and not get up from the table. It's hard work taking four littles to a restaurant by yourself, and even though there were fires to put out, I didn't feel like I needed to be embarrassed by us or disappointed in the kids' actions. Bella is two, with guidance she'll grow out of this stage.

So, I shake off the unhappy stares, get things in order, gather the chicks up and walk out the door.

Driving home, I struggle to stay positive, hoping we didn't look as crazy and out of control as I had felt.

All is quiet in the back when a little sweet, sincere voice pops up.

"Mom, Thank you sooooooooooo much for taking us all to McDonald's. That was so fun."

"Thanks Grace, that means a lot to me"

"I know it is really hard because it's just you with 4 kids. Thank you"

Anthony chimes in, "thanks, mom!"

Giggles begin again in the back as the 2 gracious kids joke around together.

Peace enters my heart again.

I love my vocation. I can say that honestly from the bottom of my heart. It is a gift and should be treated as such. During trying moments, that is what I need to focus on. That and God. He, after all, is the giver of such a special gift. I want to live it and all the while glorifying His name.