A couple of weeks ago I went to my very first circus ever. The tickets were compliments of my sister-in-law who gave them as a gift to our whole family for Christmas last year.

Obviously our trip to the circus was for the kids. But the anticipation of what we were in for was more excitement than I could take!

The preshow was full of different acts going on in each of the three rings. My favorite ones were the ones involving clowns. I kept thinking about what fun it must be for these people to get all clowned up and run around doing funny sketches and being all 3-stooge-like, making people laugh by being totally ridiculous, traveling from town to town, and getting paid to do it all.

I want to be a clown.

That night as the kids are all tired and needing to get ready for bed, pack backpacks, lay out clothes for school. Someone needs a cold lunch made, another needs to have her planner signed, another needs to have mom read her homework to her, Fred is writing checks for the next week's bills, I am throwing some laundry in and loading up the diswasher and bathing the little one all at the same time, the phone rings, someone stubs their toe, I look at the calendar for the week ahead and map out how I am going to have 2 girls at polka dance practice, one boy at football practice, and the little girl ready for bed all on the same night with negative 15 minutes breathing room. I'll also figure out who to vote for and I need to call my grandma back.

These are just the thoughts and happenings going on right before bed.

Who needs to run away with the circus when you are conducting your own 3-ring juggling act right here at home?

Maybe if I painted on a smile and donned a red clown nose it would feel more festive.