The Lotto

I have come to a decision last night.

We need to win the Lotto.

Plain and simple.  It’ll solve all our problems.  Well, maybe not all our problems, but will make the sting of most of our problems a little less.

You see, I have this vision of what our family should look like.  It’s a picture that has been in the back of my mind for many years but never quite as clear as in the past couple of days.  It’s a picture of what I feel in my heart of hearts is what a complete family will look like for us.  But reality isn’t cooperating.

I have this picture of me, standing in my bright and cheerful kitchen, doing the dishes.  The chicken pot pie is baking and I am looking through the window at the boys playing in the backyard.  All four of them.  Four kids, mostly or all boys.  There is a mommy van parked on the side of the house and life is crazy.  We have to do Costco runs at least once or twice a week to feed all these busy boys and we go to soccer and rugby practices every day with games on Saturdays.  Sundays we all pile into a pew at church and it’s a constant battle to get them to stop fidgeting and keeping their shirts tucked in.

It’s a pretty picture, at least to me.  Very idyllic.  And it can’t happen.  

The biggest problem in this whole scenario is the money.  We don’t need a lot more money to afford this dream, but we do need a bit more.  Ok, maybe not just a bit.  Two kids are already rough and as soon as you add one more to the mix we’ll need a van.  It’s hard enough fitting two car seats into my car with a stroller.  Anther one will require a upgrade.  And let us not forget about the gas. Lots and lots of gas.

Then comes the rooms.  You can’t house that many boys in just any house.  So we will need more money for a bigger house.  Bigger mortgage, higher taxes, more water and electricity usage.  It adds up.  We’re not even talking about all the groceries to feed all the mouths that need feeding!

And can you imagine how hard it would be to find a babysitter that will for a reasonable price watch them so we can have a night off every so often? 

Nope, I don’t think this is happening.  But o, do I ever wish.  I wish and I wish and I wish upon a star. 

Excuse me while I go buy another Lotto ticket, will you?