Stressful

I like arts and crafts.  I really do.  And whenever I'm asked to help with arts and crafts related activities for my kids and the groups that they are in, I'm there.  It's an opportunity to spend some extra time with my kids and see who some of their friends are. 

This week, I was asked to join my youngest daughter's Tuesday night group to do cross stitching. I made it clear to the leader that I've never cross stitched before.  Well, neither have these 12 young kids.  So how hard could it be?  

The leader had her own mom (cross-stitcher extraordinaire) do the lesson, the leader was there, and there was me and this other mom.  This other mom is one that I really like.  We seem to get along well and we laugh...a lot.  

Not this week though.  OMG.  This other mom had never tried this art form either and I'm telling you, neither one of us liked it.  It is a frustrating art form!  Hey good on those that are great at it and can do it.  I'll just chalk it up to I've tried it and I don't like it. 

But imagine helping kids who have less manual dexterity than me!  Recipe for disaster.    This mom and I were trying our best but it obviously wasn't good enough.  

But the beautiful part about young kidlets is that you can offer up a perspective and everything is ok.  This one kid I was helping...sweet as could be.  We were following this cross stitch pattern but she somehow goofed up.  I tried helping and then it REALLY got mucked up.  This little girl kept saying she didn't like it because it didn't look good.  Let's just say it wasn't even close to the pattern.  

So, I told her that it was a special flower that she made.  Nope, not good enough.  She must have thought I was on crack.  BUT, the minute I said it was special AND because it looked like a heart flower, well....I was considered awesome!  But of course it's a heart flower and all was good in the world of this little girl. 

Seriously.  That was one hour of my life that was more stressful than any work day I've ever had...ever.