Is it easier, now that they are older?

 
Today I made a spur of the moment decision, I wanted to paint some chairs. I looked down at my boys, and noticed their uncoordinated outfits and their uncombed hair. But it was going to be a quick trip, so I quickly ushered them into the car and told myself nobody would even notice. We drove 10 minutes away to the paint store and when we pulled into the parking lot, noticed a big sign in the window saying they no longer sold the paint we were looking for. There was address listed below and after plugging it into my GPS, I learned it was 20 minutes away. I sat for a minute, wondering if I wanted to make the drive, and then thought, why not?

So I jumped on the freeway, hit traffic, felt grateful for a GPS, and eventually made it in downtown SLC. I’m not sure what happened during the drive, but when I pulled my boys out of the car, they were completely wired. Cannon and Cruiz immediately took off in different directions and I chased them around the parking lot, praying no cars would pull in. I finally lassoed the two of them, and walked into the store while holding both their hands with Ledger following behind. A lady immediately stepped up and asked what I needed help with, and led me over to the paint sample colors. While I searched for a turquoise paint, my boys went crazy. It was just like our experience at the airport last January {Read Here}. Both twins were running different ways, I was extremely flustered and started cussing the small paint store who didn’t have carts that I could throw them into. (Ha the place was full of working men who obviously need carts)  Ledger could tell how upset I was getting, so he began yelling, “Brudder, come back HERE!” and grabbing the back of their shirts which would cause whichever boy he had to fall backwards onto Ledger’s legs and then they would both topple over. And that would of course start a full our brotherly brawl…

And while Ledger wrestled one, I’d run after the other, walk back to talk to the lady, and try to stop the boy in my arms from wiggling their way out. Cannon’s main goal was to try and pull paint off the shelves as fast as he could. Awesome. Cruiz was just following his brother’s lead.

Suddenly a family that I grew up with in our community came to mind. I remember being a teenager and looking at all of their boys and thinking, “They are soo out of control. Don’t they discipline?” And at that very moment I realized we were THAT family. And those words just blurted right out of my mouth, while I was looking at the lady showing me a paint color.

“We’re totally that family!”

She just smiled, let out a soft chuckle continued talking about paint. She never said anything judgmental, and as I ran after boys she patiently waited for me to return to finish her sentence. She even reminded me to grab my phone when walking up to the front desk.

While the paint was mixing, I threw the boys on a random couch in the front of the store and stood in front of them and said, “Don’t get off.”

   

And as I thought more about that family with all boys from Rexburg, I realized they are now older, and all seem to be turning out okay. So while I stood in front of my boys and threatened them with their lives, I started encouraging myself.  “You’ve got this, you just have to make it through the next 16 years… They don’t need to be the President of the USA, they just have to turn out somewhat normal. Yeah, you’ve got this Ash! ” My glare/scowl eventually turned into a smile because I realized there was hope for my three little hellions, and noticed a guy next to me  staring as I was smiling at my boys who were now wrestling on the couch… undoubtedly thinking, “Doesn’t she discipline? They are so out of control.”

 

To answer the question I’m asked nearly every day, “Is it easier, now that your boys are older?”

Yes and no.

Today… No.

I’m just grateful how nonjudgmental the lady was who surprised me and carried out my box of paint supplies to my car as I literally drug two twin boys who refused to walk… Yeah, we’ve got this.