Tidal Wave!

I have never seen so much water in my life! Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration. How about I have never seen so much water covering my bathroom in my life.

It started off as a wonderful morning. The kids were only yelled at twice while getting ready for school today. Paulee and Terry eat quickly, and were actually diapered, dressed, and ready for the day before school started. Heath taught Bible and Math without any hindrances. In fact, we had a blast watching the younger Heath figure out he could figure out simple math problems, and make up his own. We sent Terry and Paulee off to the bedrooms to play, while I taught our morning classes and Heath went to work. They were so good. Played together, didn't fight over the one toy out of a hundred, laughed, were just two peas in a pod. The other four were learning quickly, not playing around, kept talking to a minimum, just generally a breath of fresh air. Oh how stupid and naive I was being! What Monday is ever this good! Monday?! What morning period is ever that good? It was so good I even got two loads of laundry folded, and more started. And the kitchen is relatively clean as well. I should have known I was in for a doozy.

For whatever reason, I thought I'd go see what Terry and Paulee were doing. They had been fairly quite for a while, but then again, they'd been that way most of the morning. But there was just this oppressing sense of needing eye contact with my two youngest. As I start out of the kitchen, I realize that there is sunlight streaming into the hallway were the bathroom door is supposed to be closed. Then I heard the noise that can only be described as pure, unmolested joy. Oh what a site that met my eyes. Why did I think I needed eye contact. What I need is that machine from the movie "Paycheck" to erase my memory.

Terry and Paulee had completely flooded the front bathroom. Now for those of you who have been to my house, you know this is a fairly decent size bathroom. All of it. Every last square inch of tile was covered in at least an inch of water. And was it water from the shower? Maybe the sink? Oh, of course not. It was all toilet water! My gag reflex was so great, there was almost a semi-liquid added to the floor. Paulee was standing in the middle of the floor, squealing with delight, as she played the stool as a water drum. She was soaking wet from head to toe. And those cute little toes? Yeah, they were pruned they had been in the water for so long. Terry was desperately running to grab the hand towel to "clean-up Mamma." He was smart enough to go put his shoes on first, and to hike up his pant legs. Of course, that didn't help the parts of him that sat in the water, and from what I guess, he tried to take a swim as well. Malcolm ran over to get Heath, while I started cleaning up the adorable children. Next time, I think I'll figure out how to unclog the toilet, and clean the mess before Dad can see it. Let's just say it didn't go over very well. Yes I know, we had like 20 gallons of water everywhere, it was soaking into the hall carpet, and the toilet was full of water and an entire toilet paper roll. And did I mention it was toilet water? But it was so bad, it was beyond the point of anger. At least I thought. It took every last towel in our house, both clean and dirty, to mop up all the water.

And for the reason they were not playing in their rooms? Terry had masterfully put the baby gates up so they could not get in to the rooms. They only one available was the bathroom which he smartly opened up for them. What a wonderful capability for problem solving with which God has gifted him.