Out with a Bang...bang, bang

It's my last night as a temporary single parent of 2 rambunctious boys.  It couldn't come soon enough.  I sit and type with my (ahem) second glass of much deserved wine.  They really tested the limits at times, especially tonight.  It started when Jackson got home from school and within seconds, I was ready to send him back to the bus and home with Ms. Martie the bus driver!  He started making Lincoln scream about who knows what.  I discussed just today with my friend Mari, WHY in the world do siblings act so perfectly when they are separate but so atrocious when they are together?  Why does being together bring out their worst characteristics?  I would happily take either one of them on errands, to publix or even antique shopping but I'd pay BIG money just to leave them home when they are together.  I'd eat McDonald's not to take them to the grocery store together. (and I HATE McDonald's!)

We knew from the beginning that Jason would have an internship and that it likely would not be in Nashville.  We knew it would mean 3 months away from him but we'd done 3 deployments, 3 months would be a piece of cake.  Well, it was a piece of SOMETHING but I wouldn't call it cake!  I didn't realize how hard raising boys would be without their father (whom they LOVE) would be.  Apparently he's far superior to the one who feeds them and give birth to them!  Not a day went by without his mention or missing him.  We all missed him.  I missed his help in breaking up the fights and doing half the bedtimes.  I missed him taking out the trash too!
Tonight was one of those nights. The final straw (you know, the one that broke the camels back).  I had a coupon to Wendy's that bought me 2 kids meals for $2.  You can't pay me to wash dishes for that so  we had Wendy's after an hour at the park that is in front of the house.  While getting ready for bed upstairs, I hear BANG, BANG, BANG and I jump up to scale the stairs and survey what is making such a racket.  Before I hit the top stair, Jackson is crying and Lincoln is at the stairs apologizing to me.

He had taken his wooden toy hammer and given his sweet Daddy a "welcome home" present in the form of 15 dents in the walls of the house we RENT.  I'm sure his dad will be thrilled.  Me, well, I sent that boy straight to his OWN bed, alone without a story.  If he got up, he would get "the spoon".  Of course, he cried.  It was hard to put him to bed crying but he knew better and did it anyway.

Later I went in there and consoled him with a lesson in forgiveness.  He said he forgave me for being a mean mom. It wasn't cracking me, I told him we do not say that.  I punished him for his wrong doing and now God forgave him and so did I.

But alas, there are still holes in the wall and I'm still sleeping alone.

Tomorrow, oh, Tomorrow!