Mornings are such a “make or break” part of your entire day.
Whether you have kids, retired or are an empty nester the way your mornings start will either send you out the door smiling or you’ve got your head down hoping no one sees the defeat in your eyes.
I started my day with a snooze button ( twice). That should have been my first sign, but no…I didn’t listen to that inner voice.
I dragged myself out to the kitchen only to find that my husband had taken the last drop of milk, but thoughtfully enough returned the empty bag to the fridge. Seriously!
So the lack of coffee was going to do some damage to an already lack lustre morning.
As a family we had had a great weekend, busy and tiring by Sunday night. So I opted to skip making lunches thinking I’d be bright eyed and bushy tailed for a morning chore that was not in our regular routine.
Now I ask you Why? Why on earth would I think that.
Routine is how I get out of the house without anyone loosing a limb.
Adding three lunches to that already time sensitive schedule was NOT going to make this morning successful.
My inner voice at this point is stepping up the volume and trying to coax me back to that warm bed. But, No I press on.
Three kids, three different buses, three different pick up times. Come on, I yell to myself you can do this!!
Lunches were going to be sim pickings due to the fact that our weekend activities allowed no time to grocery shop, but who was going to argue with me! Basic food needs and a water bottle, I’m sure the littles would survive today, if I could just get them up and fed!
I managed to scrounge up a cup of tea which I set down on the counter when I heard the buzzer go off on the dryer. Heading to the laundry room to fetch the next of the never-ending clothes swap, I flip lights on and nicely ( not really) try to coax my kids out from under their soft secure blankets. I reach the laundry, but before I can stop myself I start cleaning out the litter box that had been sadly overused during our weekend out and about.
Taking the cat litter outside I realize it’s not a bad temperature outside and maybe the kids should wear their spring coats today. Searching through the front closet, my head buried deep into the unknown I start to raise my voice slightly louder because there’s sibling love going on in the bathroom and it’s not going to end well.
I do find two of the three jackets and happiness abounds when a pair of rubber boots are discovered – correct size and all! I feel a small victory! I sense that I might just turn this day around!
Heading to the bathroom to settle WW3 and I pick up three socks and a pair of shorts from the hallway. Shorts? Did we not just have -15 degree weather last week? Where did these shorts come from and why are they on the floor in my hallway?
Ever so gently I push the children in the direct of the kitchen telling them toast is available for their nutritional start of the day, don’t ask for cereal your father drank all the milk!
Briefly I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the bathroom mirror and this is where that feeling of victory vanishes down the toilet. How is it possible that someone ,who got a decent 6 hour sleep looks like a main character in a horror film? After spending precious minutes pulling at my skin and raising my eyebrows I decide maybe if I brushed my teeth things would start looking up. Yeah, sure that’s the ticket!
Back to the master bedroom and I hear some serious grumbling in my teenagers room.
No clothes! It’s a nightmare, but she has no clothes!
Ugh! I do manage to get dressed before thinking I forgot to grab the clothes out the dryer! I make my way down the hall and am corralled into the kitchen where the kids are expressing high distaste for what’s in their lunches. Why can’t they just wait until they get to school to open it and then I’m a good 20 miles away and don’t have to listen to the complaints!
Pushing, shoving with loving guidance and the teeth are brushed and two out of three have coats on. Not bad considering I have one eye with make up on and am sporting two different socks.
The alarms go off. Yes this well oiled morning machine has alarms set so that the kids have exactly 5 minutes to get from our door to the bus stop without any major injuries.
Front door closes….and I’m in the kitchen staring at my cup of tea that has now lowered to room temperature and I think to myself – It’s a good thing I’m a Professional Organizer or THIS morning could have gone really bad!
Lesson learned. Even the best have bad days! 🙂