No More Whining

My household was swelling with whines this week. Chops may very well be the most guilty, whining and screaming for everything from ice cream cones, to the truck Bubba was playing with, or the fact that I wouldn't let him sit in the drivers seat of my minivan on the way to the library. And once we got to the library...ooooooh boy, the whining escalated into a full blown tantrum, to where we were literally escorted out of the children's section by one of the librarians. She was only trying to be helpful, I admit. She shooed us outside and took my library card and pile of books and brought them back out to us. I still felt like the naughty school girl with the dunce cap on, even though she was very understanding.

Bubba is more of the night time whiner, of the midnight variety. Blame it on incoming teeth, that chipotle marinated pork he devoured for dinner...whatever. Several times over the week, his screams burst out from his room and seemed to crawl over my skin. I felt bad for the little guy, but I was so incredibly frustrated and needing him to sleep so I could have some semblance of sanity.

I was probably the biggest culprit of them all. Luckily for everyone else in the household, the whines mainly seethed and swirled in my own head. They went something like this: "Another *&#*## dirty diaper!" or "He cannot be awake AGAIN." or "Chops, if you open that fridge one more time I may have to grab the cordless screwdriver and drill it through my eye!"

I know, not my finest hours, but at least I internalized it and didn't subject the boys to my inward rants, raves, groans, and sighs. Of course, everyone could sense Mommy wasn't a happy camper and that I was a tad edgy (exaggeration of the year, there.) Suffice to say, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself and very ready to give Robbie my two weeks notice so he could begin searching for a new mommy.

Then came Katrina. The sick and sad news footage that never goes away. Images of the sick, the dying, the deceased broadcast on all the networks. Last night, I watched World News Tonight with Brian Williams and a photographer shared his account from the confines of New Orleans, where a crowd of thousands gathered at the convention center. Bodies of the starved and dehydrated lined the walls. A man held out a 3 week old baby with listless eyes, who hadn't had any milk in three days and would probably die. A mother cradled a toddler who she couldn't wake up, he was so dehydrated.

Well, there was my reality check and a big slap in the face. Here I had been, whining to myself all week. And in another part of the country, people are losing everything. My boys can be maddening and draining, but they are so full of life and energy and vibrance. As of now, we are the richest family in the world. And I promise, no more whining.

Now, if only Chops would make that same promise....