Good enough

I have threatened to call and pretended to have conversations with Santa so many times this season.

By today I could tell the threats had worn thin. M-man didn't even flinch the few times I "called" Santa today. Ho hum.

So with next to zero leverage we went off to mass this evening. My husband is Catholic. I just marry Catholics and raise Catholic kids. I'm cool with it.

But I confess I am not as patient with a wild 2 and 4 year old at church as he is. There are not enough Cheerios in the world some Sunday mornings.

Sure enough, they were wriggly balls of energy in the pews. I made a point of sitting next to another family with kids to hopefully dilute my kids' antics. 

Finally it was time to head up to the front for Father John to tell the Christmas stories to all of the kids. Two years ago I was chasing a gleefully fleeing M-man across the altar -- this year I just hoped for modest bedlam.

The kids were still wriggly but pretty good.

However, back in the pews it was another story. They climbed. They emptied coins from my wallets. They jabbered loudly and whined they wanted to go for a walk.

Suddenly C announced she needed to poop. After that mission was accomplished I told the hub it was time to go. One kid took off one way, the other one the opposite direction, naturally. 

Wrestling coats and children, we made our way to the back of the church. We've had far worse church experiences, so I felt like we did okay.

In the car, I reminded them that I would be talking to Santa tonight and asked if they though they were good tonight. 

M-man of course said yes, which made his dad and I laugh. Then he conceded he was a little but naughty.

When I asked little C if she was good, she replied very seriously "I was a little bit naughty."

Mac's response: he was "good enough."

Yeah, he's right. Lighten up, mom. Good enough is just right sometimes. 

Merry Christmas!