This is how my day went.

Sarah woke up in a disagreeable mood, and it went downhill from there.  She was defiant, disrespectful, lazy, obnoxious, and mean most of the day.  There were three very short moments when she was pleasant and helpful, and I remember them clearly because they were so rare, and I clung to them to get me through the day.  I didn't even attempt to teach her anything new today, just reviewed things she supposedly already knows.  She made very little effort.  During her piano lesson, she "forgot" how to count half notes.  I spent a lot of time teaching, training, correcting her attitude and behavior. Therefore, I packed only two boxes today.  The only other thing I accomplished was pulling a hairball out of the tub drain.

Meanwhile, I managed to get dinner in the oven, but then noticed that the oven was not preheated. The heating element wasn't even glowing.  This is the same oven that I just sold last week and is to be picked up on Friday.  I've never had any problem with it for the last seven years, and now it dies.  I crawled under it to see if it was plugged in (it was) and found old dried food, dust bunnies, Nerf darts, and hair clips.  I turned it off and turned it back on (my husband's favorite solution to any problem).  Nothing.  I hauled my raw turkey and vegetables outside and plowed through the snowdrifts to the grill. 

While I'm dealing with the raw food issue, I had asked Noah to clean out the van so it would be ready to haul a load to the new house.  Actually, I had asked both kids, but Noah was the one doing it.  While I was standing outside freezing in my pajamas, trying to light the grill, Noah is calling me with his voice filled with frustration, needing help with the seats in the van.  Then Sarah has the gall to yell out that she's hungry and starts demanding food.  My temples are starting to pound like my head might explode.  I try to focus on my gratitude that we are all healthy and alive.