The alarm sounds.
Your favorite song or an annoying siren or a duck’s quack.
Regardless, it’s 5:30 am. And that’s a late morning.
You smack the alarm. Silence. Your mind is already spinning with what has to get done today. So you force yourself out of bed even though you were up in the middle of the night with a coughing child.
You walk to the bathroom. Cold tile floor. Only one dim light because no one needs to see that wrinkled slobber-stained face in the bright lights first thing in the morning.
You drink a big glass of water. A few years ago it was your health nod to hydration, precariously perched between your evening glass of wine and morning tumbler of coffee.
List making starts.
Lunches? Hubby on deck, check.
Ugh, Valentines? You had the best of intentions to do really cute Shutterfly cards like you did that one year when they were four and you must have had supernatural energy, but you didn’t get around to it and now it meant an after work run to Target to get the dregs of the well picked over supply. Other moms were already done and your crew hadn’t even started the V-day addressing. Oh. That means you need to mail grandparents goodies too. When? Maybe tomorrow, after the conference.
Dinner? Do we have stuff for dinner? Yes, yes, that quick mozzarella chicken pasta recipe you found on 16 minute meals last night (who are they kidding – nothing takes only 16 minutes). Okay, so granted you were going to really try to cut carbs but pasta cooks quickly and the kids love it. You did make a spinach salad – that must count for some sort of mom-healthy-points.
Shower? Yes, now, hurry, you have to take someone to school early for a new activity. Finish shower. Dry your hair.
Is she awake yet? No. Go gently nudge her so as not to be the annoying parent screaming, not to mention two others get another 20 minutes of sleep. Which they need. Because there’s a math test today. Oh crap, there’s a math test today. You didn’t review them anymore last night. Oh Lord please let their in-class math review have been enough…
In class? Oh right, you have to get those supplies for the homeless bags they’re making. You did the curbside Wal-Mart pick up but they were out of peanut butter crackers. Maybe you can just stop by Randall’s and get the rest?
Randall’s? Oh yes, you should stop by. Buy some flowers for the teachers. They’re saints. Seriously, saints with all those emotional fourth graders.
Saints? Remember that book you’re reading by The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu about joy? Well, they say you are supposed to still your mind in the morning. Quiet, focus, stillness. And Shauna Niequist said in her book you’re reading you should start your day by going outside. Crap, you forgot to still your mind and walk outside this morning. Well, the dog must need to pee. Walk out back with him and breathe in the air to squeeze it in. Grab the dog, get jumped on all the way to the back door, step outside, sheesh it’s cold and rainy.
Oh no, it was 75 yesterday and 45 today – do the kids have clean pullovers? Go look. Is the laundry dry? It’s not in there. Maybe it’s in their room. Ugh, the boys room smells. Thank heavens for the maids. Yep, there’s at least one. You don’t want them to catch cold.
Oh mercy, everyone IS catching a cold. They need to take their cold medicine. Do you still have cold medicine? Yep, there it is in the kitchen cupboard. Why is it in the kitchen cupboard? Where is the lid? Why is it next to the colander and why does the colander have stains on it in the cupboard?
Is that the TIME? The oven clock says 6:25. HOW??? Get dressed, dry your hair, see if little one need her hair fixed. Walk into closet. Man that light is bright. Stare at racks and racks of clothes. Nothing fits. You need to go on a diet. Look at those cute heels. You really don’t have the energy for heels today. Navy flats. What pants can you wear with navy flats that will button? These will work. Not cute but perfectly appropriate work pants. Did you mention, your pants would be far more enticing if you dropped 20 pounds.
Dressed. Make up on. Coffee poured. Kids you’re leaving behind are kissed and kid you are taking is loaded. Load the car. Run back inside for coffee. Say goodbye to husband.
Drop kid. Drive to work. Did she pack a snack? Did you leave the Wal-Mart supplies in the trunk? Did you remember to take the tags off his new helmet?
Drat. You forgot to still your mind.
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