Mom Mornings

   I think a mother's morning starts the night before and what I mean by that is if she has gotten any sleep at all. If she has not then there isn't really a morning per say it is just a continuation of the last twenty four hours that have never had any sort of break. Anyway every morning is totally different and yet every morning is exactly the same. You never know what life is going to pick up and toss at you yelling 'catch!' and you have to be on your game as best you can as you stumble or race to catch and do all that needs to be done.
  I have some sick children right now. As soon as the weather changes from sunshine to the driving rain and grey days it seems we can't keep sickness at bay. Last night my nine year old had a high fever and a very sore throat. I couldn't sleep and neither could he. The night was long and we made it through but I did not want to get out of bed in the morning. I was woken up by my eleven year old asking me if she could have chips in her lunch at about 6:30am. I begged her for the love of God to please remember that for the last three mornings I had asked her to not wake me up to ask me questions especially by waking me up just asking the question. One day she will understand...but not for a very long time. The baby was miserable because he has a deep cough and my milk as been drying up for some reason so he nurses and cries and so he was screaming at me and I wanted to disappear for a while.
  I eventually dragged myself out of bed because I know that every day these children need food and I need to shower (my shower is like my coffee kick). The children took a container of cashews and dumped it on the floor and proceeded to eat that for breakfast and I showered. I got my oldest to school but we almost hit a pedestrian which gave me a heart attack (just what I needed at 8am) but we hugged goodbye. I always feel successful if the hug happens. Often there is such a hurry to get to her next activity we forget.
  When I got home my sister was making bacon so that was the next step for breakfast. I tried to do my hair but got distracted at the disgusting state of the bathroom. A couple days before my six year old had decided to throw handfuls of baking soda all over the bathroom counter like snow I guess, and I had not gotten around to cleaning it up yet. So I started to clean that and then moved onto scrubbing the toilet. Somehow and I am not even sure how I caught sight of the baby streaking past the bathroom door and my heart sank. Of course, or course I knew that could not be good! I mean I was cleaning the bathroom and usually if I clean something, anything there is sure to be some sort of disaster somewhere else to hamper my efforts. So I grabbed him and yes he was covered in poo. I took him into the clean bathroom and started showering him off not wanting to face what was going on in the hallway because we have carpet everywhere in our house and I just couldn't. I mustered up courage after accidentally teaching the baby the word crap, so as he happily practiced his new word I went into the hallway. Miraculously he had peeled off his PJ pants and diaper ON the plastic changing pad that somehow miraculously happened to be in that exact spot in the hallway. The Lord DOES love me He truely does! So I gagged over that mess and got it cleaned up and got the baby re diapered and dressed and there is so much more to do. I need to brush everyone's teeth and get the nine year old to gargle salt water again. I had made everyone lemon and honey tea sometime in there as well. I need to do the six year olds hair and make sure everyone is in clean clothes and I need to remember to eat and I need to make them their next breakfast installment which is greens shakes.
  Mom mornings are intense every day. I remember waking up one morning on a one night get away with my husband. I felt so different. I had slept through the night for the first time in years and I woke up feeling relaxed. I had completely and totally forgotten how that felt. I realized that every day I wake up tense and ready for the onslaught of need. It is not a bad thing but a break from it sometimes is really lovely.
  Every mom who gets herself and her children up in the morning, gets them clean and dressed, feeds them and hydrates them, gives them some eye contact and connection and gets that day started.....that mom is a hero in my eyes.
  Now it is about 9:30am and my nine year old is telling me how last night he wished he had never been born because of the pain in his throat. The baby is re clothed for now. The six year old is wearing pink and white polka dot PJ pants and a green dinosaur PJ shirt and she is sure her heart moved to the other side of her chest in the night. My sister is brushing her teeth getting ready to head out to her job and I had to sit down to write before I moved on with the rest of the day.
  I hope your morning went well and you have a great day. There is much going on in the world and it is often the dark parts of it that are highlighted.  I hope you can make your part of the world wonderful today.Congrats on getting through the earlier part of the morning!!!
Love Tansy