kids might not be for you if.......

for those of you reading this that do not have kids, i'd imagine its because it's not the right time in your life to be reproducing, or you might not be blessed in the fertility department (and i hope that God decides to bless you soon), or you may have just avoided it like a coworker with a cold. for those of you who are simply on the fence on the issue, let me recant our evening in a jeff foxworthy-esqe way, stating "you might want to wait to have kids if....."

1. "....you like to go to a restuarant and eat in peace". tonight was our friend's ryan birthday and his wife kami and son kade and then our friends rd, jenna, and their two kids sumner and sarajane went out for dinner. we went to california pizza kitchen and the begining of the dinner was fine; hte kids colored and snacked until the food came. as the night progressed, landon yelled for more food, kade and sumner crawled under the table, kade didn't want any of the dinner ordered for him, landon threw his food on the floor, and kade managed to tip over a table and spill some drinks and break a glass. to an outsider, like the people sitting next to us who just so happened to get up and move in the middle of their dinner after almost being drenched in pepsi, it might seem like the table full of kids was chaos and a handful. truth be told it is, but it's so nice to be able to enjoy being out and being all together. so, if you can look past spilt soda, yelling, and possibly disrupting others, you might actually be ready for kids.

2. ".....you like to take your time shopping in the store". i remember when i could spend an hour if desired just aimlessly wondering around a store, looking at everything and sometimes buying nothing. with a child, not only are you looking for particular items, but you're also keeping the tiny one you're with from grabbing everything off the shelf. it isn't the same as shopping for yourself in quiet and with no time restraint, but you get the joy of picking out outfits and shoes and things for your kids to wear which ultimately reflects on you as a parent; the appearance of your child is important. so i want to shop a little less for you and oo and ah a little more for shopping for a toddler (or even more fun, a baby) that you might actually be ready for kids.

3. ".....you like having uniterrupted conversations". my son landon started walking at 10 months and since than, he runs everywhere....including wanting to run at the park, at the store, and at the mall. even though there was a designated play area, landon escaped and ran wild. needless to say that chasing a toddler in a hundred different directions isn't conducive to adult coversations with friends. as soon as you'd start a sentence, it'd be cut short when you've have to dart away to keep landon from making a break for it. also, watching a toddler automatically takes your mind away from what someone is saying to begin with and you aren't meaning to be rude, paying only half attention, but you also have the obligation to make sure your children doesn't disappear. so you have friends that understand that talking to you might have to include a pause and resume button, than you might actually be ready for kids.

4. ".....you like walking around the malll". as previously mentioned, my bubba runs everywhere and just because we are somewhere crowded and unfamiliar, it doesn't stop him for taking off. it gives you some exercise and it keeps our child safe but it's exhausting. so if you don't mind jogging or taking off in a sprint in the mall, you might actually be ready for kids.

5. ".....you like to come and go as you please". with children, so much of what and when you do something revolves around them and their schedule. if they are hungry, bored, hot, or tired than what you are doing is second to them. kids don't know that you are waiting for a check at the restaurant. all they know is that they are done eating and it's time to go. after they've been running around with an abundance of energy and then suddenly slow down, you know they are tired but they don't...which is why they start acting out; throwing tantrums, throwing stuff, hitting, yelling....a tired kid is a shape shifter. you're never sure which version of your child you will get. so if you handle the impatient, tired, bored, hot, clingy child but can take in the deep sigh when they fall asleep on you, than you might actually be ready for kids.

6 "......you like coming home to a clean house". after a nice evening out with our friends, we came home and the wrath of landon he had unleashed on the loft earlier was still there...toys everywhere. also, the mess from lunch was still lingering in the kitchen. but if you can pick it all up and nothing is permantally damaged and it only takes alittle bit of time at the end of the night and than you can enjoy just sitting and doing nothing, than you might actually be ready for kids.

so again, for those of you don't have kids yet for whatever reason, keep in mind that this was one short evening out...not even the whole day. parenting is a marathon, not for the weak or for those who lack endurance. but if you can harness the energy from somewhere, you might actually be ready for kids.