An Apology for Peanut

I did a lot of yelling this morning. I like to think of it more as extra loud doses of logic and instruction. I like to think that when I am yelling, I am helping my children understand that the helpful advice I am giving them is so valuable it is worth sharing with the college-aged neighbors who are probably sleeping but might also need to be reminded that “WE WASH OUR HANDS EVERYTIME WE GO TO THE BATHROOM” or that “WEARING A SHIRT WITH YESTERDAY’S SNOT IS NOT OKAY - YOU HAVE LOTS OF VERY NICE CLOTHES THAT ARE CLEAN BECAUSE I WORK SO HARD TO WASH AND FOLD THEM.”



So, there I sat at 6:50 am with puffy eyes and pillow creases, sitting on the floor in my pajamas, folding laundry and yelling, yelling, yelling. Peanut came and stuck her face up against mine – nose to nose – and said, “Can you be nice, Mommy?”

It was a fair question. At the moment of asking, my niceness was most definitely MIA. And Peanut knew she was going to be stuck with me all day. And she did not want to be stuck with the yelling Mommy, so she calmly asked the question. And I decided that maybe she was right and the day would go better if I decided to act like a grown-up, or at least like a grown-up worth growing into.

So, we have been on a run. And on a bagel date. And the blanket she peed on last night has been washed. There has been some singing and silliness mixed in with Friday chores.



And so, as an apology to Peanut and a confession to the Village, I offer Peanut’s favorite mood-changing tune.



Thank you, Jesus, for little people and big reminders.