It was an honor just to be nominated

Charleigh is stressed.

When Charleigh is stressed, she poops and pees in the wrong places.

Like at the dentist office. While her sister and brother are having teeth pulled.
After I already was nearly late the appointment because she had peed her pants
and I had to stop by the house and get her a change of clothes.

So I walk into the dentist office after having changed my drenched child
using a roll of paper towel and a bottle of Windex, because that was what I saw
when I ran into the house to get a change of clothes for the accident she had at school.

And I asked them if I could please wash my hands before I did anything else.
And I mentally congratulated myself for not yelling at her.
And not telling the receptionist that I needed to wash my hands because my kid had peed her pants.
"YEAH! You are like... mother of the year! You are handling it, Vanessa! Way to go!"

And then I look up from my clean hands and my pile of paperwork to fill out at the dentists office and what do I see? I see a big wet spot on her overalls.

And the applause in my head stops as they hand the Mother of the Year award to somebody who has actual clothing packed for such a situation, which I of course, do not. I have paper towel and Windex.

And so, as I am at that very second, ushered into the room where one kid is about to be miserable, and I already am, I turn to the hygienist and ask for a plastic bag for Charleigh to sit on. Which she does. For over an hour. Cheerfully. As if all her stress has puddled away.

And once again, I remind myself that a kid who can sit in her own urine for over an hour and not complain might just make an amazing missionary. Right?