Ever have one of those days where you rise early, fully intending to to have a Lucy Lawless/Xena Warrior Princess kind of day, kicking some serious boo-tay on things that you needed done, um, yesterday...but you're not even up half an hour before things have deteriorated, and at best you might make Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniel's in Dumb and Dumber?
Here's a little rundown of my morning. Okay, maybe back that train up to last night just before bed when our older son Jericho told me me, "Oh yeah, mom, tomorrow is picture day." That's a little like your husband calling you just before coming home from work, when the house is a mess and dinner hasn't even been thought of with, "Oh, by the way, I invited so and so over for dinner tonight." (Not that mine has ever done this, I'm just sayin'). Niiiice. Thanks for the advance notice and everything!
Aiming for unflappable and roll-with-the-punches, I took one look at Jericho's hair, which naturally was in need of a haircut, and just shrugged. "I'll get you up a little earlier than usual in the morning and we'll see what we can do."
I should have known things would take a downturn when Jeff woke me from a dead sleep this morning at his earlier wake time and said, "I really need you to run an errand for me today...".
I was so tired and uncomprehending at that hour of the morning, that I said, "Just leave me a note." He did, then left.
Unfortunately, he got no further than the driveway, because when he went to get into the car, he found that it wouldn't start. Apparently something to do with the battery. Again. Which meant that the light that had been flashing at odd intervals, sometimes fading out, sometimes staying on...was for real and not a case of old Honda electrical system 'gremlins' like the problems with the radio had been.
Coming in and out of the house to get into the garage for tools woke our toddler way earlier than need be. Which woke me up again, because Judah is a daddy's boy, and cries and carries on no end whenever he is awake before Jeff leaves and knows his daddy is leaving for work without him. Which meant I was up a half hour earlier than need be.
So, I went ahead and just got the kids up, figuring perhaps we could use the extra time to get ready for what was sure to be a crazy-busy morning.
After cleaning corrosion or something from the battery terminals, Jeff was able to get the car started and get to the District Office in time for the meeting he had this morning. Where the car promptly died. (Yes, Brenda, if you're reading this from work, that little red car with the dancing hula girl on the dash down below your office window? That's ours.)
The note had said, "Please buy 10 Science Display boards and a box of 1 x 2 5/8 labels and bring to the D.O. and leave in my car by 10:30."
Except that in the middle of my usual morning chaos, I get a couple of text messages from Jeff during his meeting. The first one said: "Car died." The second one: Plz deliver everything to my school, to [the teacher/coach that would be making all the signs for the cross-country meet during her prep hour]. Which was even further across town. And it had to be there by 10:30 am.
No pressure or anything, just the entire League's cross-country Meet participants being able to find their events...and all of it hinging upon whether or not FrumpMama can deliver!
But Murphy's Law dictates that everything that can go wrong, will, and in direct proportion to how much pressure you have upon you.
First thing we discover was that Jericho doesn't have the form for school pictures anywhere in his bookbag. That form I need in order to know how much to write the check for, and then to put the check in. He looked twice, then I looked. Nada.
Which meant that I'd need to leave at least 20 minutes earlier if we're to get a parking place in the postage stamp-sized lot at the school, so I could get into the office to get a new envelope, write the check and still get Jericho to class on time.
As it happened, the line snaking it's way onto campus was longer than usual, and Jericho had to be let out so he wouldn't be tardy. Naturally, just as soon as we get a parking space, Judah's diaper needs to be changed. So I get out the diaper bag, get everything ready to go...and no wipes. Arrrgggh! Could my day get any worse?
Making do with fast food napkins (which means that he still reeks, which is totally embarassing, but it was that or he would be miserable, which would have added whining to the mix, and by this time I had only one nerve left), I go inside, fill out the form and hoof it across campus with Judah on my hip. Of course, the stroller was in Jeff's car. What a helpful little contraption, that. When it's in the same vehicle as the car seat!
We dash back to the car, then to Staples, and get the supplies, and rush across town to deliver the goods, first stopping off at the D.O. to get the stroller from the car, because how else is a mom supposed to handle a toddler, a stack of heavy science display boards, a box of labels, and my purse? Of course, it's as I'm starting up the truck again after getting the stroller, that I glance down and notice the gas gauge on E. But of course!
Oh, and because I was a little bit warm from the exertion of my marathon morning, I rolled down the window. Just as a dump truck goes by and belches out a big cloud of pollution. Can we say Athsma attack? But, as it happened, we screeched into the school parking lot just under the wire, and delivered the goods.
I'm ready for a morning nap along with Judah by this time. He is whining because he saw a fast food logo on a sign, and suddenly realized he was very thirsty (no doubt because he'd had salty, leftover pizza for breakfast). "Dring? Mama...Dring! I wanna drrrrrriiiiinnnng!"
When I finally have two minutes to breathe after the frazzled fiasco that was my morning, we're sitting there sipping our O.J. and I'm wondering how things ended up so hectic when I'd been up even earlier than usual.
And wouldn't you know, the scripture from Psalm 118:24 pops into my head, "This is the day that the Lord hath made...let us rejoice and be glad in it."
And suddenly I remembered that I forgot to pray.
*sigh*
Please excuse me while I reboot my day.
7 comments:
Wow, yeah. Why do I have to learn this over and over again? I'm almost 55 and still have to be reminded about such a basic, good habit. The problem? I think it's that we live in little emergencies all the time. And we are trained to handle them, and I guess somehow we think that that means this second, no later. So what we should be doing gets pushed back. Yep, I can see how ol Slewfoot could get in on that. Thanks for the reminder. Your story made me wish I lived around the corner from you to lend a hand sometimes like my mom did for me so many times. Boy, I miss Grandma sometimes!
Holy Moses. Your Mom and I are almost the same age. Wow! I'm 52, so that was a real eye opener. I knew you were younger, but that was a reality check for sure! :-)
Reading your post made me wonder why it is that a car can be working swell for months...even years on end, but always seem to go on the fritz or have a nail in the tire on a particularly busy day. Why is that?
Frumpgram--I wish you lived around the corner so you could lend a hand, too! And I miss Grams, too...lots.
Rosie--Personally, I think those cars lie in wait...just listening for us to say, "It's finally fixed! Should run like a charm from here on out!" then break down just to have the last word.
And if it's any consolation, my mom started her family pretty early. She and I were often mistaken for sisters when I was growing up...much to her delight and my chagrin ;0)
Oh Becky, I'm sorry, but I laughed. I couldn't help it! That sounds exactly like some of my days!
What a morning. God's sense of humor reminding us that He's supposed to come first??
Becky, My head begin spinning a quarter of the way through, my eyes begin to roll halfway through, and I about zonked at the end. I am feeling sympathy for you sitting here at my desk at work. Moms have the hardest job, yet so rewarding I'm sure! =)
Shauna-LOL, that's good! I'm finding the best approach to a lot of those days that would normally frustrate me to the point of tears is to try and find the humorous side of it sooner rather than later. Combined with the rebooting of my day, that is...it seems to help. (And I've been having a LOT of those days, lately!) ;0)
Jenster-Exactly! Or at least, that's what I was trying to bring out in the post. He's not afraid to remind us that He needs to be first in our lives, is He?! LOL, even if things have to spiral almost out of control first.
Deb-That's how I feel most days, too, LOL! Motherhood is rewarding, but it's also a daily challenge. Whoever got the mistaken notion that SAHM's sit around eating bon bons and watching soaps all day was wrong! I barely have time to read these days...just a half hour or so before bed, and by then, my eyes are bleary and I often fall asleep with the lamp on.
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