The End of a LONG Day!

So I have yet to have a day that is not purely exhausting or overwhelming. I try to think back to those boring, quiet, mundane days in my life...and I just don't recall them. It is funny how the path of life you are currently on seems to make the path of life you once cruised along just vanish. Don't get me wrong, I can still vividly remember certain days of the past, when Claire Bear was our only child (we stressed out WAY TOO much over her) and even the days when we lived in Auburn and then the days when Ellie and Jenna came along and of course the roller coaster ride God challenged us with the boys. But now that we are so insanely busy with these days of raising five little kiddos, the past seems to be such a distant memory. And frankly, it makes me so sad to think about those times I will never be able to re-live again. God says our days are numbered and we should live each day as if it were our last. WOW..have you ever really stopped and thought about that one...kinda gives me chills! What if today is your last one...

SO for today, I just wanted to say, I am trying my best to preserve the memories that I will only have one day as "memories" because the time will be gone, the kids will be grown and the "day in the life of Dana Pate" won't be so LONG or exhausting or overwhelming...it will probably return to the boring, quiet and mundane days I once knew before God decided I needed to love, nurture, teach, DISCIPLINE, encourage, and mold five very precious souls.

After leaving my home this morning at 8:30am, we started at the YMCA (Mommy's therapy time), I swam a mile, showered and got dressed, picked up the kiddos from child watch and off we began our day of errands! Along the way, I managed to stop here an stop there, even picked up Nana to tag along with us on one errand so I wouldn't have to unload four little kids out of the van and into shopping carts. Ellie and Jenna enjoyed their peanut butter sandwich picnic at Target Concession(yes, I actually do pack a lunch when we leave so we don't have to eat fast food garbage or spend extra money eating out) And so therefore each girl was given 1$ to purchase their own fountain drink. They thanked me at least seven times for their "Sinerra Mist" (Sierra Mist). After the day was said and done, I promised to take them all swimming.......YES, I WAS EXHAUSTED AND DIDN'T WANT TO DO IT AT ALL....but I did, and we had a wonderful time. They were very appreciative and excited to swim and then I let them shower at the YMCA and get their PJ's on.

Here is the precious picture I snapped at the END of my very LONG day. Just didn't want to forget it~!




(This picture is funny too because Jenna has on Christmas pj's and I don't even care...)