Not Exactly How I'd Pictured the Day Going

Well, today definitely took a different direction than how I'd planned it.

I woke up early this morning, did my quiet time and then took a shower to get ready for the day before the kids were up....or so I thought. Once I was dressed, I heard Hudson sort of fussing (which is unusual for him in the morning, he's usually just talking away). I walked in and could instantly smell the problem, but had no idea just how bad it was. He was in his Christmas footie pajamas, which are quite thick. Well, when I went to lay him down on the changing pad to clean him up, as I unzipped his jammies I could see that the poor guy had had a MAJOR blowout and part of it had pooled at the bottom of his right foot. :/ I felt awful that I didn't know that before I'd taken my shower...I have no idea how long he'd been stuck like that. I cleaned him up the best that I could and then I plunked him in the tub. While he was soaking in the tub, I stripped his bed and started the laundry.

After Hudson was all cleaned up, he had some breakfast and Madison took her shower. We then all finished getting ready and we ran some errands. We went to Costco and to Berean...we were suppose to go to a few other places, but we ended up heading home. While at Berean, as I was checking out, I started to smell something funky. I figured Hudson had a dirty diaper, so I planned to change him when we got to the car before finishing the rest of our errands. Well, when we got to the car, sure enough...Hudson not only had a dirty diaper, but he once gain he had a major blow out. We're talking up his back, all over his stroller (which I can't for the life of me figure out how to take off of the frame so I had to clean it attached), down his legs, etc. It was a mess. So, here I am standing in the parking lot (with about 6-8 old ladies, who were having a bake sale outside of the store, staring at me) and me trying to figure out what in the world I was going to do...there was poop everywhere. Well, thankfully I had those disposable diaper bags (think what people use when they take their dog for a walk). So, first things first. I took Hudson's shirt off and threw it in one of the bags. Then, I used wipes and wiped down his back, neck, and arms and used another one of those bags as a trash bag. Then I took Hudson's shoes off and stood him up in the street (thankfully it's not a very busy parking lot) and stripped him and put his socks and pants in the dirty clothes bag. Then, I once again used wipes and wiped him down until he was clean enough to pick up and lay on my changing pad to put a new diaper on him. Once he was fresh and clean I put him in his car seat, but then there was still the issue of what in the world to do about my stroller. I couldn't just close it up all nasty like that, so I grabbed my wipes and just began cleaning the seat, the belts, the back rest, and the buckles until they were "clean" enough to at least be folded up and taken home. Once home I had to spray the stroller down with my all-purpose anti-bacterial spray and used a rag soaked in hot water to continue to clean this darn stroller and then I sprayed it with Lysol.

I gave Hudson a squeezie yogurt (only thing he wanted at the time...but now he won't touch them) and then I put him to bed. He slept from 11:45 until about 3:30. I think he would have slept longer, but alas, he had another blowout. :/ Thankfully this one wasn't nearly as bad. I think I caught it shortly after it had happened, so it was manageable. Anyway, he's not acting like he doesn't feel well. He doesn't have a fever or anything, but after his nap, he pretty much just wanted water and crackers, which is definitely uncharacteristic of him. He has been fine though in the diaper department, so that's good. Now praying for a good evening and that it was just something funny that he ate yesterday that didn't sit well in his tummy.

Needless to say, I am not at my sweet friend's baby shower tonight. I desperately wanted to be there. :/ I am hoping and praying that she feels very blessed and "showered" tonight. Thankfully though, I will see her on Tuesday, when we go in for Hudson's 2 year check-up, so I can give her her present and hear all about how the shower was.

I think tonight I will read a book and finish up my 5th load of laundry today (I had to change Hudson's sheets 3 times today, plus all of our regular laundry).

Days like today remind me how precious and wonderful it is to be a mother. I could tell Hudson was embarrassed by his blowouts, but I could also tell, how much he appreciated me cleaning him up, giving him baths, changing his sheets, and letting him snuggle with me when he wanted to. God gave me grace and patience today as I dealt with my sweet boy, especially in the parking lot of Berean. I love how God always meets us where we're at.

So, today didn't go as I had planned, but God's plan is always so much more grand than anything I could ever dream up. Today, while I was excited to go to the baby shower and spend an evening with my friend and other adults, God needed my son and I to bond in a way that only blow out, after blow out could do. God uses all circumstances as opportunities for us to bring Him glory. So, I am thankful for being elbow deep in poop today because it allowed Hudson and I to grow in our relationship as he has one more day before his birthday and now one more memory of how I was able to help him in his time of need. Time will never slow down, but we can slow down and enjoy the time we're given, no matter what the circumstances.

I hope today, you can find the joy in whatever circumstances were thrown at you!

***Please continue to pray for Tori. Thank you!!!***