A day in the life...

Here is a description of my day yesterday. It is basically what I do most days with a few exceptions. Wake up at 5 something in the morning. Go to gym and teach a class or take a class. Come home at 7 am and wake up older 2 girls for school. Hope the youngest sleeps long enough to get other 2 off to school. Make breakfast for myself, husband, and one daughter. My oldest, thank God, is rather self-sufficient. Help make 2 lunches for school, put some pony-tails in someone's hair, check backpacks, send kids off to school. Myself or my husband usually walks them. Not because we have to because we like to. Come back, get 3rd child situated w/ milk, dry cereal, and yes, a television show. Mom needs a few minutes to assess the day, clean the kitchen, and get my act together. Call neighbor and offer to watch her twin boys for a couple hours. She has a two week old baby and I so remember how exhausting that is. Tessa plays with the boys and it goes well. Then I get on the phone with someone from school and they find the martian maker gel and make art work with it. Needless to say, everyone is put outside and I make lunch for them. They are being good and continue to play while I have a church committee meeting at my house. It is easier for me to not have to find a sitter so I have it here. Meeting goes well, with many interruptions from my child, asking for gum and popsicles. I say no to a second popsicle and she says she hates me. Then she hurts herself and I can't find her ice pak so she throws the mother of all tantrums. Yes, my church committee meeting is still going on. Nailpolish is thrown from her bedroom, where I have banished her to. You ask "how did she get the nailpolish?" I say, "what a great question!" Tantrum lasts longer than my meeting. I go outside to breathe, and catch the twin boys peeing off their front porch. I go find my neighbor to see if she is aware and we just laugh. I walk to school, get my kids, have them and their friends come over to play for a while. It turns into dinner and sleepovers! Bedtime for younger kids: 9 pm. Bedtime for older kids: who knows, I left them in basement watching movies with my husband on patrol. Bedtime for me: 10 pm! I am exhausted and could have gone to bed at 7 pm. I am up now again at 5 something in the morning. Everyone is asleep still. My quietest, most sane moment of the day is right now. It is what gets me through the rest of the day. I know today will be just like yesterday: long, busy, tantrum-filled, mental exhaustion from preteen drama, full of me saying no and trying to stick to it, my husband will be working, I will question myself at least 200 times, ask myself if I will survive, can I continue at this pace?, for how long?, I will feel guilty alot, I will drink too much coffee (I have to stop that), and I will pray to make it through another day. This pretty much sums up a day in my life. Life is crazy, but it is good. I know I will miss these days and I keep reminding myself to enjoy the little moments. There are so many good little moments that make up my life. I just have to stop and take notice. Life's little moments from yesterday: my 4 year old told me I was pretty, my 8 year old smiled at me with her smile that says "I love you", my 11 year old asked me if I was okay and listened to me talk about my day, my husband came home and talked to me about his day and I could tell that he is just as tired as I am-he works so hard. If I hadn't stopped to think about these things I might not have noticed how great they were.

Happy 4th Birthday Tessa!

Four years old today! I can't believe it! Time goes by so quickly. I remember waking up four years ago today wondering if today was the day you would enter the world. You were already a week late. I was glad you did not show up on Bella's birthday, the 19th, but a week late? Come on! Well if I had known your personality then like I do now, I would have understood. You will come when you are damn good and ready. You are quite an individual. You do what you want, when you want, how you want. You love to change your clothes 3 to 4 times a day if not more. Your outfits lately have been causing me some concern, many dance leotards that don't fit anymore! It is easiest to let you just wear them. I have other battles to pick with you. You are quite the little tantrum thrower. I think now that you are 4, we should rethink this approach. You are so independent and funny. You love to laugh at everything and everyone, including yourself. You are quite the mix of Josie and Bella, who both adore you (most of the time)! You and your dad are still good buddies - again, when you want to be. You are tough. If you are in the mood, you two are inseparable. You and I spend a lot of time together. We do pretty well and have fun. You are great at playing independently if I am doing some work, but you prefer to do things together. I love being with you, good days and not-so-good days. I only have one more year left until kindergarten so I am going to enjoy every moment. Love you.

Happy Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day to all! A special thanks to all the men and women who have fought to protect this amazing country. For all the heroes who have died in that fight, thank you and God bless you. I don't think many of us really take the time to think about what all these men and women are sacrificing. I couldn't do it. I wouldn't want to be the one left at home either. It is the truest sense of serving your country. I admire the bravery and the committment it takes to do this. Thank you again.

Happy 12th Anniversary

I cannot believe it has been 12 years since I got married. Saying that time flies is an understatement. They weren't kidding when they included "good times and bad times" in the vows. Marriage is hard work. It is almost as hard as being a mother. It stinks that both of those jobs coflict with each other so often. I try to be good at both but it isn't always possible. I am very grateful my husband has stuck it out with me all these years. We have three wonderful girls that we are so proud of, a wonderful home that we have poured our heart and soul into, and family and friends who support us every step of the way. We are very blessed.