1 Bathroom + 6 People=Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

OK, so those of you who don't know of our current situation, let me fill you in briefly. In November of 2006, when Ryan and I felt very strongly that he should go back to school, we knew our family was in for an adventure, especially after Ryan informed me it would be medical school. Well, we haven't hit medical school yet, Ryan will be taking the MCAT this coming May, and then the medical school application process will begin. (We can hardly wait!!! I can't tell you how excited we are!) Anyway, so in order for Ryan to go back to school full-time and quit his job, we knew we needed to sell our home. I cried over a lot of things when we first made this decision to go back to school, and the house was definitely one of those things. This was my dream home. Not a fancy-shmancy all decked out house, but perfect for me, and perfect for our family, and I always thought we would live there forever and that Ryan and I would grow old there together. Ryan built it with his own two hands and spent endless hours, days and nights there, which made it even more meaningful to me-and to him. But I soon came to the realization that it is only a house. It's interesting how your perspective can change with a little prayer and help from up above. I quickly got over the tears and knew this is what we needed to do.

So, about a year ago we sold our house and moved into a little old rental house just up the road. I am grateful for this little house. It suits our needs just fine, and we have the sweetest landlords who take care of the yard for us and are just great people. But as of late, one thing has been getting under my skin a little. I'm not complaining, really, just venting my frustration. I don't know about you, but all old homes I know of have very small bathrooms. Well, this house is no exception. We have a very small bathroom, and only one! I think that has been the only thing I've had a hard time with since we've moved is going from 4 bathrooms down to 1! It seems that the kids always have to go, and I mean, really have to go at the same exact time! It's like their little bodies know when someone else just hopped on the toilet, and then all of a sudden they are in urgent, crotch-holding, bunny-hopping need of getting on that toilet! And then we have a line-up outside the bathroom door, along with fists banging and voices yelling "Hurry up, I'm going to pee my pants!" (or the other thing). And we are finally learning that when we get home from somewhere at night, say Grandma's house, that we need to have the kids use her lovely bathroom(s) before we leave, so that we don't have such a line-up when we get home. And I have to admit that we have been in some major urgent situations where I thought for sure we'd have an accident, where the boys have ended up going pee outside because they couldn't wait for whoever was in the bathroom.

And then there's school mornings, when the 3 older kids are trying to each get ready for school. Somehow they all end up in the bathroom at the same time, brushing their teeth, doing hair, and going potty. Well, the tricky thing is, when Pierce does his hair, he has to stand up on the toilet in order to see himself in the high mirror, and the mirror is attached to the medicine cabinet door, and he has to have that door open at a certain angle in order to see himself while he is atop the toilet, balancing on one leg like a circus performer, and then the girls end up banging their heads on the cabinet door as they come up from brushing their teeth, and then someone else has to use the toilet while Pierce is standing on it, and he takes so long to do his hair, and insists on doing it himself, and then the girls are ready for me to do their hair, so I come in and try to wedge myself in between the kids, the sink and the toilet, and end up banging MY head on the cabinet door, and everyone starts getting frustrated, voices begin to raise, and maybe there's a little pushing and shoving, and then AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! It's enough to drive you bonkers!

Soooo, this little house is definitely teaching all of us patience. And as frustrating as it can be sometimes, I can honestly say I am thankful for what our family is experiencing. We are blessed. I know the years ahead won't be easy, but I am up for the challenge, Ryan definitely is, and the kids have been little troopers. We are looking forward to medical school, wherever that may be, and to a new little house to live in. I am just hoping that maybe it will have at least 2 bathrooms! Ü