Undivided Attention Divided x6

This may be the answer...

I am constantly amazed at the "experts" opinion that we should give undivided attention to our children, our husbands, our house, our pets, ourselves, our church, etc...

I would love for them to come and explain to me how to do that.

It was easy when I had just Eryn and her world revolved around me and me alone . 

Now she's 19!  Her world revolves around anything BUT me. "Mom. Can you..."? 

(fill in the blank)

or:

"Mom. I am going on a Greyhound Bus to Yorktown to visit this boy 
the weekend before Valentines Day."
"Oh...really? And are you serious with this boy?"

"Well, yeah. I mean I'm spending money to see him"

This is a 'Oh Crap' moment.

The conversation that follows is not pretty, but I will save that for another time.

Let's just say that Eryn, my beautiful daughter, of 19 (!!) 
is a constant worry presence in my mind.

Josh would love nothing more than for me to pour over car magazines or even better:

A Mustang Parts Catalog. Seriously.

I have no interest or desire to do this:

"Mom. Do you think I should buy a cold air intake?" 

"Well, Josh. I don't have any idea what that is...."

"Geez Mom. You DON'T? What kind of mother are you?"

Kenzie is in her last semester of middle school (hallelujah). But if any of you can remember WAY back then, and she seriously doubts that I can, you'll remember the dramAH. 

And I do mean the -AH of drama:

"Mom. Did you know that some stupid..."

(Alivia in the background saying, "that's a naughty word!")

"...ridiculous kids brought alcohol to school today?"

"Um..no, Kenz. I didn't hear that. What happened to them?"

"Oh, you know..."

Actually, no, I don't know...tell me so I can properly freak out!

Then there is my amazing, genius husband, 
who is in the throes of going back to school to get his PhD 
while working full time and being in the bishopric.

He loves to talk to himself while he's doing homework:
He is constantly babbling away, but each time he starts a new conversation with himself about some crazy math question that nobody has ever even heard the terms for,
I think he's trying to have a conservation with me:

"What did you say, honey?"

"Calculate the amount of tension 
on two sides of a wire that is suspended from above 
that is supporting 100 lb weight. The angle of the wires from the horizontal are 
35 and 55 degrees respectively."

"Oh...well...ummm. Hummm. That's an interesting, um, thing you're working on."

 "Did you say something, Trina?"

On top of all of this madness going on all at once, is my darling 3 year old.

Alivia.

I don't think I can properly express her energy. Her vibe. 

Her undying devotion to making my life harder.

She has recently been going through potty training (check out my facebook, people),
but here's the thing...

She had it down. Really. She was great at it.

Then we spent the whole month of January:

Going to pre-school. Not going to pre-school.

Kids are home. Kids are not home.

Dad is home. Dad is not home.

We are WAY off schedule because of snow days, snow delays or just plain days off.

She's confused, I get that.

What I don't get is why she has to tinkle every 5 minutes.

Or why she feels the need to show me her business by bringing the small toilet bowl to me in the kitchen...spilling as she goes.

Here's my favorite though. 

After I get done cleaning this up for 10th time I lose it and tell her she cannot use the little potty anymore. It is now only the big potty for her. 
She can get on it just fine without anyone helping her. 
See where I'm going?

Yep. She decides that that is way TOO much effort. It's easier to just have an accident.

All this while getting dinner ready, making sure homework is not stressing a kid out too much, and is everyone where they need to be? kind of stuff. 
But, heaven forbid, let's not forget about the all important 'me' time. 

Actually, let's just forget it because it never happens. I am too exhausted by the end the day.
I just want to go to bed and hope that tomorrow is easier, 
and that I don't feel guilty about all the undivided attention I didn't give to anybody 
or my dog.