Let the unique day of a working mom begin!
Good Morning! It's 5:40 and you are waking up a bit late... head straight to the coffee as you rub your eyes and yawn...
Your middle is awake and following her routine to a T. Time to sit down on the sofa for a moment with your coffee and iPhone; your daily reading is at
internetmonk.com. Apparently you were sitting with your eyes closed holding your mug of coffee, as the next thing you know, your middle is at your side asking for help with her hair. She is always amazed at how much better you do, you always counter with how different your perspective is, and how much longer you have been fixing hair.
It's after six now, no sign of the oldest. Getting up to check on her, you notice that she is awake, but since you are available, mom, can you please get my laundry out of the dryer...
Ah, time to try again. I've somehow downed an entire mug of coffee and yet read no words. Since reading one thousand gifts I have been thinking of everything differently, so I start again by heading over to
aholyexperience.com where today the topic is on forgiveness... how appropriate...
It is almost time for their bus, so I find myself busy with last minute backpack switching and adding to lunches. While in the kitchen I consider dinner (dinner!!) a success as its 6:30am and dinner is the last thing on my mind. Easy night tonight, as the family is busy on Wednesdays... while chatting with the middle about the plan, my eyes rest on the remnants of yesterday... somehow, getting a grip on the kitchen isn't high on my to-do list at any time of day...
And, they are off.. I have about 20 minutes until the next round, the far more critical round... Glancing about, I have a stack of papers on my desk.. dogs that are begging for a walk... a pile of laundry to put away, and wet towels cascading out of their bin...
First things first, the dogs... with a mug of coffee in hand and rainboots on my feet, we journey outside... Copper has to be on a leash so as to keep from getting lost in the tall grass (he has a way of sneaking to the neighbors,) while Asia can roam freely... but has been getting into it a bit lately with the new neighbor dogs...
Tromp tromp... Here is our typical Oregon spring; wet, green, and very alive. It has been taking a bit longer to arrive these past couple years, which in turn pushes back summer, and then winter, and then (you can guess!) the cycle repeats in this slightly off kilter fashion...
Mug empty, I figure that was about 10 minutes or so... in we go, ditching the wet outdoors...
Turn on the flat iron - I really wanted straight hair today - and consider what critical things need to be thought of this morning... Not much, I believe... there are so many tasks I haven't gotten to yet today, this week, this month... none of them are any more critical than the others.
The song "every light in the house is on" pops into my mind as I survey the wreckage of the two leaving... I smile, hit the lights, close the doors, and realize its time to get myself in gear.
Where did my morning go?
Left just in time to stop at a local convenience store.. coffee didn't quite hit the spot and so its on to diet dr pepper... pay in dimes, laugh (cringe, cry?) at the budget...
Made it to work with five minutes to spare. Which, it turns out, wasn't quite early enough as I was leaving early and had quite a bit to do!
Live and learn.
Workday, the usual. Note to self (to you!) foods smelled in the office during lunch hour should land on the menu. Chicken Enchiladas, Chicken PotPie, and some form of Spaghetti must be arranged in the coming week.
Leaving work early to celebrate the life of a dear friend. Stop in with my boss to give him a last minute update before leaving for the day three hours early, walk to the car praying that
that one customer doesn't call until morning.
Since leaving early meant no lunch, hunger strikes! Thankful for the banana to tide me over for my quick run through the post office. The books I wanted to read came, fantastic! Journey home. Ah, its our dogs again....
Quick parade with Copper outside (one of the girls will be home soon, right?) Heat up leftovers and build a fire so the house warms up. Consider the time. Less than you thought.
Always.
Eat while you consider your options. Decide to make the bed and stoke the fire. Had the idea that I could take the time to load out some goodwill boxes but I think I failed to consider time outside with the dogs in my original agenda.
There's that infernal clock again, striking time to leave.
This celebration has been conventionally scheduled to allow for an exit in time to pickup the middle from track. I feel thankful and blessed to know this family, for reasons beyond this. As I prepare to walk to the car, I remember this lovely woman who made such an impact on our community. She will be missed.
Realize that the oldest will not be home due to after school commitments and it will be over an hour until the youngest arrives. Rush back into the house to check on the fire, tamp it down, write a note, and check the dog water.
Time spent at the memorial was very good for the soul. A healthy reminder of the value of a life lived well, for the right reasons, and with Christ at the helm. Momma will be missed by this community, but the family legacy lives on in her children and grandchildren... what a blessing!Middle has been collected, and, at nearly 5pm, its time to consider the evening. I have a chapter to read and a quiz to take for the course I'm taking for work... the youngest has homework, the middle has a track meet tomorrow, and the oldest will be gone until 8pm...
Dinner is easy, but man, that mountain of dishes is about to erupt. Plan of action, delegate... Vacuuming to the youngest, dishes to the middle, the oldest can fold the towels when she is home again!
Brilliant!
Course subject for the week makes me laugh ... controls.... Anyone running a home knows very plainly the subject of controls... How to prepare so that plan B is successful when plan A crashes... and how to make sure plan C is feasible in the event that it is required as well!
the evening is spent with the kids.. mom, look at my icecream.. do we have any sprinkles... watch this comic with me... listen to this... they grow up so fast, faster than we can imagine...
As 8 o'clock ticks past, the household begins to wind down. Chores that were not done are now balked at
those infernal dishes! The oldest arrives in a whirlwind, declares that she is going to cut her hair off
right now, because everyone should try that for themselves. She dreams of the era of the 20's - it fits her steampunk and her style..
Meanwhile, the middle begins to melt down... early bedtime tonight!
The husband is home, we talk work and memorial and I serve him dinner, then I too move toward bedtime... goodnight to all, its just a bit after 9 and I've got nothing left to offer!
It has been a busy 8 years here, and over the past couple we have begun to really feel this house as a burden rather than be able to enjoy the blessing. There are so many reasons ... too numerous for words... Over the past month we began to work with a realtor, and I've been peeking at RMLS for a couple days... the picture isn't great, but here it is - Oh, its listed!
