Something different

We have really been trying to go to church every week. With four and our busy lives..it is so easy to just sleep in on Sunday morning...and just have that one day without something on the morning calendar. This morning Jeremy had a case so we were going to go to late church...and then he called and said he was not going to be home at all. I was tired...the week had been long and honestly the thought of finding 4 coordinating outfits, 4 pair of matching socks, packing a diaper bag, and getting myself ready made me want to cry. Silly, I know...but it it hard to have to get 5 people ready...6 including all Jack's needs to be met before we leave....many times every day.  I just couldn't do it...which is so not like me...but today it was me. Scratching leaving the house to go to church felt amazing...not having to get ready and rush around I felt free and happy...but also guilty and like the worst mother on Earth...we had made a pact to take them and here I was not taking them. I walked in the house and told the kids to get dressed and put their shoes on...any outfit...any shoes...that we were going to the pond. The littles emerges...in unmatched clothes...sk was in platform shoes, Lila was still in her pajamas but brought me a new pull up...they were perfect. I grabbed a blanket, a bible and put my pajama baby and my platform wearing girl in the wagon and we headed to the pond. Once there we spread the blanket out and I read them the story of the Good Samaritan from the bible.  We talked about it and they were so precious sharing acts of kindness in their lives and that they had witnessed and done.  They each chose someone that maybe isn't as accepted in their classes at school and we prayed for them...and for people everywhere to be kind and show love to everyone.  Riggs closed up in a short but sweet prayer and they spent the next hour running around the pond...while I watched them...really watched them...and prayed for each and every Hardy little.  We were not pretty or fancy this morning, but we were present and our hearts were full of love....sometimes something different works out...today it did.