The alarm clock goes off, rousing me from a disturbingly-realistic dream in which I own two pet tigers that I am terrified will eat me (thank you, Celia and Paige. I blame you for all the tiger talk). I look around and remember that I don't really have any tigers. I lay my head back on the pillow and sigh in relief.
I stumble for my glasses and peek to see if the sun is out. It is starting to rise over the rooftops and slant across the yard in sharp angles. The frost on the grass glitters like diamonds. It looks beautiful. It looks cold.
I struggle to remember what day the Husband gets back this week. I don't think it's today.
I put my hair in a ponytail and stand on the scale. I curse. I sigh.
I move on.
I stretch and try to rub the sleep out of my eyes. I walk down the dark and silent hall to start rousing the troops. Two of the three are tired and cranky, and do not want to get out of bed. Chase wants desperately to be sick today. I refuse to allow this. The princess has 80s rock star hair. I remind her that she needs a bath before school, and silently pray there is enough time for it.
I go downstairs, heat up the leftover pancakes and smile, knowing how happy it will make Chase. Boy, that kid loves the pancakes. Within minutes, they are all seated in front of steaming pancakes that are dripping with maple syrup. Poor things, they all look half asleep.
A quick prayer is said. Pancakes are eaten. Spirits are lifted. Someone even tells a joke or two. I try to permanently stamp this moment in my memory.
Showers get taken. Lunches are made. Backpacks are packed. Coats and layers get put on. I hug and kiss each one, and promise to wave when the bus goes by. I smile inside, knowing they won't want want me to wave in a year or two. I am glad for it today.
Sixty-two minutes after my alarm clock went off, they walk out the door. I thank god for this alone time. I put on some good music. I workout hard. I sweat. I drink a lot of water. I sweat some more.
I sit down and read this blog and this blog, both of which inspire me to count my blessings.
And I think to myself, what a wonderful world.
33 comments:
My mornings are filled with yelling, begging and pleading. My dream is to have a morning like yours. All my kids at school would be fabulous!
This was beautiful. I love how you captured the chaos of a school morning with three kids and put it into a lovely vignette full of moments to remember and hold onto tightly. Just lovely.
Amazing how the morning routine can set your day, isn't it? You never know which way it's going to go, especially 3 young variables.
Glad it went well and you savored the moments.
What a lovely post, Stie. A morning nothing out of the ordinary, yet truly precious all the same.
This is exactly how I want to live my life. Thank you for the reminder!
Hope the rest of your day is equally special in its ordinary-ness.
Heidi :)
its so nice when God gives you a morning like that - one that makes you so thankful for your life just as it is.
(well, except for the scale part ;-)
you really are a great writer! i found your blog through my sister (mique) and through marta. i will have to visit often!
I agree! You are a great writer! That was lovely. I need to remember the beauty of everyday things. You brought up great points...they may not want you to wave in years to come...mine may not, either...I need to enjoy it now. Thanks for giving me a little perspective :)
That was a really good post.
Thanks Christie. I needed a reminder that this mommy stuff IS what it's all cracked up to be.
Have a great day.
P.S. I'll eat some Salsa burritos for you, if you'll eat some cookie dough for me!
I dreamt I was buying 6 kittens, one of which had buck teeth. What? Yes. Redneck, buck teeth. Why am I dreaming about kittens? Not a clue.
Your mornings sound much more pleasant than mine. And you're even so nice as to make pancakes. My kids get cold cereal.
Your kids leave for the day? I'm so jealous.
At least you kids got to eat breakfast before leaving the house. Often times, I am running so late that I hurry and throw some instant breakfast into their milk and call it good.
stie, this was fantastic. thanks for the link. and yes, i had a pyscho dream myself. i dreamt that gabi and i were in a car together, on the way to prom. and i was shaving in the passenger seat and using a glass of water to wash the blade. gabi asked if she could drink the water when i was done. i was like, no, no, stop. but she did it anyway. is that the weirdest dream ever or what?!
i like picturing you shuffling around your pottery barn house. you are seriously a super mom!
A good morning makes for a great day! You captured that perfectly.
I love the sneak peaks in to your day. I too LOVE that feeling of getting the kids off to school. Although my peace only last three hours then preschool is over. :(
You are a wonder, woman. Or a wonder woman, whichever. Thanks for the beautiful description of your morning. Life *is* good, isn't it?
YOU inspire me. This post was beautiful.
I need to remember these everyday moments as well.
Thanks for the great links!
And are you so perfect that you workout everyday, or do you ever want to crawl back into bed? Because as soon as my #4 is off to kindergarten I'm thinking I need to do that at least once.
Another lovely post, beautifully written. I really wish I could describe my mornings so beautifully. I mean, they are great, but I could never explain them so wonderfully. Hope the rest of your day was just as great! Do you seriously stay up all day? I would totally go back to bed I think. I think... (I have plenty of time to think about that since babies are still coming in this house).
my first thought was "man, she must get the kids up three hours before school starts." I can't believe you do all that in 62 minutes! My kids couldn't even eat breakfast in 62 minutes. Way to go.
That is pretty impressive...I can't get myself out the door in 62 minutes, nevermind getting kids ready! You should've let the princess go to school with 80s rock star hair, though!
That's great! I can't believe you do pancakes on a school day. My kids have toasted waffles with nothing on them.
Isn't it funny about the whole bath thing? It takes up so much time. I have to admit to putting it off as much as I can, but alas, tomorrow the boys will definitely need a shower. No gettin' around it.
Where is the part where you jump right back into bed as soon as they walk out the door?
Every once in a while we see through the ordinary and glimpse an image of what it's all about. You've captured it in this beautiful post!!
Do you know how much I love it when you link me? It makes me feel so spayshul. I'm not kidding.
Lovely morning. I wish I could orchestrate my morning so nicely. I'm so shell shocked after the morning bus rush that I make the three-year old take a nap with me on the couch or at least I try to...
Beautifully said! I could picture the whole thing in my head. You're a good mom to do pancakes in the morning.
So, what's your workout routine? Treadmill? Eliptical? Weights?
your children must take quick showers! if my kids were to shower before school we'd have to get up an hour earlier than we do!
reading this post makes me want a treadmill in house! if i had it, i would look much better in my jeans!
lucky! ;-)
Beautifully said! This is one to go back and read again later. I think I'll do just that. Thank you!
I am in the midst of potty training and diarrhea diaper baby Hades. And yet somehow through it all, I can't help but thank my blessings. And aspire to be just like my heroine Stie who does not have even one child in diapers. There is a light at the end of the tunnel....
I wandered in from my cousin's blog (Jen maiden name Hulet, I'm SO bad I don't know her married nam) and THOROUGHLY enjoyed myself on your blog. How delightful! Thank you. I am a little OCD about DOGS and thought I'd offer a suggestion for your family. Italian Greyhound. Fun small dog. Looks dainty but actually quite hardy. VERY clean. Not smelly and doggie. More cat like but not TOO cat like. Tolerated well by allergy sufferers. Of course I know NOTHING about your family and what your dog "needs" are but feel free to pick my brain. I have trained dogs for about 6 years and have experienced many different breeds. I've been in love with dogs and researched and adored since I was a child. Shoot me a note if you like. EVERYBODY should have a dog, especially little boys ;) and mommies ;))
I love mornings like this. I think I had one once. It was beautiful.
I love reading your blogs. I have the 4 kids... the mornings usually go pretty smoothly because their busses are staggered (seriously by more than an hour). But it always silently makes me smile with pancakes too. Weird how the little things do that to you.
Have a great day. I'm going to go crank the music up and sweat a little now too.
Yay. A good morning like that is a sure start to a good day. And as for Marta's dream--yuck. What's that all about?
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