Late again for church

We were late again for church this morning. It's probably my fault, right? I'm the mother-the responsible one. Is it too much to ask my three young children; 8yrs, 6yrs and 3yrs to stay on task? Must I constantly be with them, keeping them focused on the task at hand...getting dressed, eating breakfast, brushing teeth? I just don't understand why it takes them twenty minutes to do each of these activities. That's another subject. We're up and bathed and dressed and had breakfast and I'm putting on the last of my makeup before grabbing my purse and loudly proclaiming that I'm getting in the van, when Mary, my six year old, asks if she can put on some makeup too. First I say "no," because we are late, then after a manipulative plea of "but you always get to put on makeup and I never do!" I consent to getting her "makeup" out for her, with instructions that she needs to do it herself while I get my shoes on...then we are getting in the van. I've grabbed my purse, put the three year old in her carseat, went back in the house and yelled for the eight year old, Jonathan. He is looking for his shoes which he claims he left in his room, but I remember he kicked of last night by the couch when we were playing the stinky feet game. I shout to him that his shoes are in the living room and go to fetch my beauty girl. I find her all "dolled" up in the bathroom with no shoes on. "Come on, Mary, let's go!" I say firmly but trying to keep a bit of endearment in my voice. As she starts to come she wails, "but Mom, I need my shawl!" Of course she doesn't really need her shawl, but I know that this is the shawl that I gave her for her birthday to go with her dressy outfit. It's a crocheted-grandma-baby- blue-triangle shawl that I bought for a dollar at Good Will, but for some reason it is special to her and I knew she had her mind set on wearing it this morning. It would have broken her heart for me to not allow her to get it. "Well, go and get it!" I prod her along, with an edge in my voice. I go back to the van to check on the others. Jonathan has his shoes in his hands-not on his feet-and tells me that he needs new shoes because of the pea-sized whole near the toe of his sketcher. This however, comes out of his mouth as, "Mom, my shoes are trashed, I need some new ones." I'm nearly beside myself now so all I can manage to say is, "really? well put your trashed shoes on please, I don't think God will mind." Back into the house I go again to fetch my Mary. I find her upstairs with the shawl neatly layed out on the floor. She is ever so carefully moving her hands over it to get rid of the wrinkles. Mary seems to "prepare" for everything she does. She doesn't just do things. That's another story. Being her mother, I realize this and call upon my patience, look at the clock and see that we are now fifteen minutes late for church. "Mary, what are you doing?" "I'm coming, Mom. I'm just putting my shawl on." She says in such a grown-up manner. She proudly cascades down the stairs wearing her baby-blue-grandma-shawl, then asks me to adjust it-like a lady would wear it. We are about to walk out the door...I thought. "Mom!" she exclaims. "I need a necklace!" Now at this point, I'm contemplating staying home all together. "Better late than never" echoes in my mind and I return to my precious daughter before me. "Mary, you have necklaces, you should have already gotten one on." "But Mom, I don't know where they are right now! Can I wear one of yours?" Oh the ever dreaded request of a child to a parent..."can I use/borrow.....of yours?" Remarkably I thought of a necklace that she "could" wear. "Go get in the van and I will get a necklace for you." I head upstair to retrieve the necklace. Lord, thank you for my children. Thank you for my precious Mary and how you have given her the desire to be a beautiful creation before you and your people; how you have given her me as an example to follow, in the way I dress, the makeup I wear, and even my jewelry, Lord, help me! Use this morning in a powerful way to validate her preciousness and beauty as your child. Thank you that she sees the value in herself and has the desire to take great care of her presentation. I return to the van with the necklace and place it over her head. Now, the van is running, the door to the house is already locked and I'm about to shut the van door, when my three year old, Dana, exclaims! "Mom! My necklace!"