Coming Together..

Today was my very first day at our new “normal” life schedule.

6:30AM wake kids up (David already left for work at 5:30)
7:45AM drive kids to school
8:00AM Goliath and I go for a couple mile walk (we really enjoyed it)
Approx: 9:00AM install new Mailbox and try to mow the lawn but the Lawnmower will not start.
10:35AM I remember that on Mondays the kids get out of school early so I was supposed to pick Isaac up 10 minutes ago instead on in 15 minutes. So I rush to the school and get my boy.
Between now and 1:25PM when I have to pick up the girls I install a hook from the ceiling in Madison & Jenna’s and clean their room the way I think it should be so they now have a baseline for future cleanings. I also tried to start the lawnmower two more times with no luck.
1:25PM pick up the girls at school and hear about their day.

Jenna gets a prize for drawing a Broccoli person and giving it to the Lunch lady and Katie continually tells her it’s a stupid reason to get a prize. (I think Katie is just jealous). Katie is excited that Mr. Perkins forgot to send home homework. Madison says she doesn’t have any homework either. Then Katie asks if Dads home yet and I tell her he won’t be home for another 5 hours. Then Isaac chimes in and says “Dad’s coming home today?” Later David and decided this is probably a huge change for Isaac since he was only 3 when David got this job and started commuting. Crazy!

When we got home I had Katie help me install 2 hooks in her room for hanging things from and then discover she still had 2 boxes of random stuff that needs to unpacked and organized. So we spend a good 45 minutes cleaning and organizing her room. Then we proceed to measure all the windows for blinds and the the order placed. (This was becoming an urgent thing to get done)


Story: Yesterday I had all the kids get a shower and then get ready for bed. Jenna went first then Isaac and then Madison. I was wondering if Madison was ready for bed yet when I walked into her room and she being surprised by my entrance covered the front of her body with her towel. It took me about 2 seconds to notice that her paper blinds had fallen down and her bedroom light was on and the neighbors across the street were sitting on their deck. I yelled at Madison to wrap the towel around herself and come out. Then David and I hung the paper blinds yet again with even more tape this time and told Madison to get dressed in front of her dresser, not in front of her window. Jenna said the neighbors were waving but I said probably just laughing and pointing.

Back to today.. After Katie and I finished measuring I sat down at the computer to get our order all prices out at www.selectblinds.com. The kids played on the XBOX and visited with Idaho friends via Facebook. And Madison remembered she did have homework.
6:00PM I started cooking dinner and preparing for David to come home.
6:45PM David came home we ate dinner as a family and then had FHE. We started the Second book in the series Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites, Gadiantions and the Silver Sword. We only read one chapter and they were already excited and wanted us to go on. Maybe we’ll have to read some on Sunday’s too so we can get through the books a little faster. After FHE we start getting the kids ready for bed and I talk to one of my favorite people for awhile. Next thing I know I hear pounding in the kids rooms and David goes to investigate and then I hear something I haven’t heard in a while, “The DAD Voice”. He yells at them to get into bed for the last time. I’ve heard him ask nicely at least 4 times earlier and they are still disobeying. Then David says to me, “the kids may really regret having me home every night if this is how they usually act at bedtime”. I know that even though they may get into trouble at times when it’s needed anyway that they will still love love love having their dad home every night. And on those nights when them getting into trouble in inevitable I will really love love love not being the only parent to discipline them.

Anyway I assume this will start to be our normal lives until we start adding things to them like piano, violin and callings in the mix to make things busier. Last night I was terrified about falling apart today while home by myself but now I feel pretty good about what I got accomplished and that I only fell apart once. When I fell apart it wasn’t even because I was home alone it was because I had to put a few sympathy cards away in Gabie’s Tote and when I opened it right there on the top was his blanket that he slept with last and blanket that I shed so many tears into last summer. So the breakdown was not something I really could’ve avoided and would happen no matter where I was and who I was with.

All in all today has been a good first day back to reality!