I was so inspired by
Laura over at Piece of Cake on Friday when she posted a "day in the life" for us all to read. A long day that began in the dark and ended long after dusk. I couldn't wait to steal her idea and write about my "day in the life". By the way, reading her post
here will really make you think.
So not the usual Sunday Sanctuary post for me but I have to warn you that the day that I expected to write about was not the day that occurred. You can never think you have it all figured out that's for sure.
5:30 am
Eyes sealed shut, I climb over a child, girl I think to let the dog out to do business. Back in to turn on the Kuerig and wait a whole 30 seconds to get my coffee in hand. Twenty five minutes myself to think about the day and pray I can do better today with the kids than perhaps I did the day before.
5:50 am
Henry comes down a wee bit early, he says I was being too loud.
6:15 am
Twins come down for breakfast and we go over the plan for the day. Eat, brush teeth, make beds, and make sure everything is signed in folders. Spelling test today, so I pump them up.
7:05 am
Head out the door to get the big boys on the bus. Cecilia and Henry wait inside and knock at the window waving. This is quite a game in our house. Rush back in to clean up from breakfast and beg the two left to go and play so I can get some stuff done. You know check e-mail to see if hubby sent anything!
7:50 am
As I turn on the I Pod, I realize I haven't actually downloaded a new song since 2008! Second thought, I guess I don't care. Listen to Macy Gray's I Try, sing a bit, wipe the table down, sing more, pick up crasins off the floor, La, La, La and load the dishwasher. I try to remember the importance of this song...can't and still love it though!
On to take the trash to the recycling bin. (Readers this is real life for me)
Amos Lee singing Colors...
Think about making another cup of coffee. Wonder where my two youngest are? Better look for them after I make that second cup. Meanwhile the music is still blaring. I head off upstairs to tidy up rooms and open blinds. Hit the last room, Henry's, and as I open the door I hit the trash can. I look behind the door and find two 1/2 eaten pints of Haagen Dazs ice cream in the trash. Gross, and it is 1/2 melted.
WHAT?
The food sneakers are in trouble. I do wonder for a second where the spoons are. Henry and Cecilia are now sitting at the table in the kitchen waiting in silence. The music is off for added drama. The internal question ...is this a lecture moment or a don't care moment? How do I go about this? I end up taking an ice cream privilege away next time we all eat it. Oh, there were tears in their eyes. I almost give in...yeah I know!
8:45 am
Load these two in the car to get Cecilia to preschool. Great that we are about five minutes away. I look at the giant number in my car window. Perhaps the greatest invention for preschool parents, the car drop off line.
I wish I had this for the Ben and Chris when I had to drag a toddler and a baby every day five days a week. All in the cold, rain and heat! However I take one for the team and cherish this for all the others who are in the same boat I was back then.
8:55 am
Head back to the house and listen to a little Jack Johnson and Katie Perry on the way back. Get Henry started on homework and reading. I so enjoy this time with him. We never get one on one time and I am usually rushing around doing other tasks. With the move and the schedule going from full day kindergarten to half day, I am starting to really like the change. After school stuff is completed, Henry begs me to call his friend Christian. He worked all week on a note phonetically spelled, hoping to get his number on paper. Ring, ring, "Thanks for calling Total Care for Women, if this is an emergency," CLICK. I explain to Henry that Christian might not know his number.
9:30 am
The countdown begins. With 40 minutes left until the bus arrives, Henry will ask every 30 seconds if he can go out and wait. Silent prayer for patience. This requires a distraction. We look for chalk in the garage. Do movers move bits of chalk. Apparently the military movers move anything. We find the chalk neatly stuffed into mason jars. We play hopscotch while I chat in the phone. I am ruthless at this game and continue to pummel him.
10:15 am
I wave goodbye to my busiest child and run to the car. With all the stuff going on with Chris's health and the hubby gone for the past three weeks, I needed a little distraction and happily received one through an e-mail. The kids and I were going to have a reunion with the first guy that I "think" called me a girlfriend, not a PAL, but a real girlfriend. Over 15 years later, he has become so successful and life has taken him all over the world. A brilliant lawyer married to a brilliant doctor with two gorgeous girls and still a great person.
10:35 am
Racing to the store, I am thinking about how good my life is and how much I have changed since high school. All my judgement and grand plans changed. I wouldn't change it for the world though. But do I have time to lose 30 pounds in 3 days? Gotta find something to wear that hides all the scary things that four kids will do to you. YIKES! I look at my clock on the cell phone and see that I only have one hour and ten minutes left before I pick up Cecilia at preschool. What is close?
IF YOU ARE STILL READING...GOD BLESS YOU!
I enter Target and hope that the store is not filled with neon, the seasons hot new colors. Thank God for chiffon blouses.
11:45 am
I jump back in the car and make it into the car line.
With a bit of time, I text my childhood friend the news for the week. We both get a great laugh about the reality that I have not really been home that often over the last 15 years. Man I miss Missouri a lot. It seems like my hubby and I have been away forever. Sometimes we sit and plan a future back there when he retires from the Navy.
12:10 pm
Cecilia and I head to the kitchen to make a mayo and cheese sandwich for her lunch and she chooses to sit on the front porch. Chris's doctor calls to check on him and we discuss all the new syndromes that I have found. He politely explains each one to me and suggests that I not go to page 2 of Google. He assures me that we WILL find answers.
I prep dinner which only means that I have to pull out the meat to thaw.
For any of you reading that are not stay at home moms, you must be thinking that this day is torture. I really have come to love this life, REALLY!
Cecilia pops in and I watch her do yoga with my mat ( I never use this).
Truman the basset hound is now in downward dog position with her. I watch and think about a green tea cleansing diet. Pita and hummus it is for lunch.
Yeah, I know this is a giant hamburger that JUMPED out of the fridge!
Feeling even larger, I remember to RSVP late to a birthday party that Henry was invited to. I ask if I can bring the rest of the kiddos cause hubby is gone. On the message I let them know I will pay for the other three. Maybe she will call back.
I take a deep breath and revel in the silence wondering if she is asleep. Grab my lunch.
I run upstairs to pick up the closet and hang up my new shirt all while trying not to look at my non- cheerleader shape in the mirror. My good friend
Lulu says to moisturize every night and morning. Mid afternoon and I realize I better get on that. Cecilia helps me and she lets me brush her hair. We pop into the laundry room to turn the dryer back on. It seems a teeny weensy bit damp and any excuse not to fold it, well maybe ten minutes longer.
2:15 pm (already?)
I catch some fresh air when I check the mail to only find junk. No bills today. Inside to start the dishwasher, and look at the clock. I only have 20 minutes left until all three boys come home. I look forward to seeing their bus come down the street. We go through our highs and lows of the day and check back packs and of course serve snack.
I receive an e-mail from Ben's teacher requesting a conference. Uh oh. She would like to meet on Valentines Day of all days.
When the boys run in the door, I have requests for apples, bananas and jelly bellys. I serve them up and chart Chris's day with him. I write down everything he eats at school and how many times he goes poop and pee. This is his life lately. As I am checking backpacks and promptly throwing out papers, I find Chris's IEP draft to sign.
Truman is chewing on Henry's ankle outside as I look out the window. Ben loses a shoe to the dog while walking him. I offer them more Jelly Bellys to console them. Does the trick. Realize that I am shoving them in my mouth as well.
3:30 pm
I send the second email of the day to daddy and fill him in. I look out on the front porch and find Henry's new golf club bent in half. No one will confess to doing this. Sorry grandpa! This leads me to make the decision that we will have a quiet afternoon. Ben needs to read. Chris waits for a friend to walk by and find our house. He won't leave the window. Henry eats a second banana.
5:00 pm
I decide to do prayer at dinner and they are a bit surprised. Food is served and we begin to discuss our plans for the next few days. The kids ask about mommy's old friend and they want to know HER name. I explain to them that I really don't want them to embarrass me. They giggle and mutter something about putting away criminals and how they are looking forward to eating out.
I close the kitchen, put them in front of the TV and all is good. No need to bore you anymore with the day. I already did.
Whether you finished this or not, it was really good to keep a log of my life because what it taught me was that there are funny moments and sad moments and extraordinary moments in my day. I just need to see them for what they are and start each day FRESH!
THANKS
LAURA and
LULU, you ladies inspire me. You may be the only ladies who finish this POST!
