Happy Anniversary

Today is supposed to be our 12th anniversary. Twelve Years! To celebrate we get to baby-sit one of her friend's little shites. This girl is seven and extremely annoying. I do not think she remembered our anniversary. All week I have been asking her what to she wants to do and getting the "I don't know" response. Last night she tells me I never asked her. Very frustrating. I know, if the tables were turned, I'd be up shit creek with a barbed wire paddle. Been there done that.

About 4 years ago, I was taking flying lessons. I scheduled a lesson on our anniversary. It was Saturday, and I was done by 4 pm. We still had time to go out. But, I admit it was not one of my smartest moves. Fortunately, we joke about it (or at least I do). I had to work pretty hard to dig myself out of that hole at the time.

Flashforward to today, she basically was worse. I'm more frustrated not by the lame anniversary but by the fact she puts herself (and sometimes myself) out to help others. She will create a terrible inconvenience for herself and thereby myself to make sure to be helpful to others. As much as this can be an admirable trait, it creates stress because we spend too much time helping others and not getting our stuff sorted out. Another example: she allows son#1 to invite two other 11 year old boys to spend the night...without any food in the house. I had to run to the store at 10:00 last night because she was too tired and does not like to go out at night by herself.

I have commented to her about this sometimes good trait. I have let her know that it really creates a lot more stress for us than relieves for the other person. She does not see it.