It's 4:30 a.m., and I'm staring at the alarm clock, mentally willing the numbers to go backwards. They don't, and at 5:15 I get up and head for the shower, dress, go downstairs, and fix myself some hot tea. Five minutes after I get downstairs my first daycare child arrives and the day starts. Two
adhd's, two quiet whisperers, one flighty flibberdegibbit, and one sweetie pie later, it's time for lunch and then: NAP! My favorite of all times of the day, nap time. I get to sit down, grab my ipad, and...load an online class required to maintain my license. Halfway through the class, a little gets a night terror and starts screaming. Another smaller little wakes up because of the screams and starts crying. Soon everyone is awake and nap is over long before it is supposed to be.
I didn't finish the class even though it's only an hour long class, I didn't read the new insurance information, I didn't read the information our accountant sent me to learn how to deduct employee health insurance. (It's April and I really need to learn how to do this, like 4 months ago.) I haven't made the dogs vet appointments, I haven't called my union for some information I need, the dishes haven't been done, and I don't even want to talk about the state of the upstairs bathroom. (Hint: that's not a rug on the floor ).
So, nap time over, I change diapers (3), put away cots (5), find a binky (1), prepare snacks (6), answer the phone (3 x ), and answer the door (1x ). I navigate requests for television time, instruct a 5 year old to hand over the toddler toys to the toddler, suggest art projects, wish desperately for a maid and a secretary, shoe up and coat on everyone, greet parents, recount each child's day even though it's all on the app they only have to download and read about it, and realize it's suddenly 5:30 p.m.
Decide what's for dinner, decide laundry can wait another day or two, vacuum the rug, pick up toys, check tomorrow's schedule, answer a parent's phone call. Spend some time regretting all I didn't have time or energy for. Spend a tiny bit more time realizing I'm not the only one on the planet who's day is like this.Talk to my wonderful husband on the phone on his way home.
Eat and clean up dinner, cuddle the dog, relax with the hubs and a drink, throw the dogs an ice cube or four.
Bedtime. Deep breath, because in 8 hours, I get to do it all again. Switched up, turned around, a few surprises thrown in the mix.
Life is like this, and I'm still here. Tomorrow I'll try to fit in some devotional and prayer time, worry about my daughter, Be happy for my son, worry about his job, wish I had time and money to travel, pay some bills, be grateful for apps that deposit paychecks without trying to get to the bank during bankers hours,worry about money, cook some more, wish my heart murmur wasn't bothering me, think about my sisters, comment on a friends Facebook post, wonder if spring will ever come, hope tomorrow is as warm as they say it will be, and do all of the above, all over again.
Life sucks sometimes, but busy means I'm alive and there are people who care about that. And above all, it means God believes I still have something to accomplish here. So that's what I hang onto, that knowledge that I've got something important to do yet, and that God himself thinks I'm the one who needs to do it. And that this business is important.
