1 Week

One thing Braylen says throughout the week, no matter the day, is that the week is going by so fast. I wish it wouldn't. Because one fast week quickly turns into two, three, four...and I am left wondering where the last month went. I wonder if I was intentional with my time. I wonder if I made the most of these moments with my husband and my kids. I wonder if I plowed through my days just to reach the end of the week.

This post is for me to remember what 1 week of our lives looks like in this season we're living in.

Every morning I drag myself out of bed...that is no exaggeration. I stumble in the shower and about halfway through I can tell Braylen is up. My water isn't quite as hot and the water spray is more of a trickle. Time to face the day. :) Most days I am in the kitchen when Braylen comes to the table, but every now and then he beats me to it. He is so good about getting up, showering, and getting ready for school. He does it all on his own. I start making lunches for Kaleb and Aaron and realize it's past the time they should be getting up. Braylen is out the door and walking to school (or to the neighbor's house for a ride) before his brothers are done eating breakfast.

We finally make it into the van to go to school. Kaleb is usually frustrated with Aaron's slow pace, worried he will have to catch up with his classmates in the hall and miss out on sitting in the gym before school starts. I have a myriad of questions running through my mind: Did I give Aaron his pills? Did he use the bathroom? Is today library day? Does Kaleb need his recorder? It's cold today--did Aaron bring his hat? Do we have money in the lunch account? I should quiz them on their spelling words since they have tests today, and on and on and on!

At school drop-off they are power-walking up the sidewalk before I can get the minivan door closed. Whew, we made it through another morning. On my way home I drive down a hill and have a great view of the sunrise this time of year. Sometimes after a busy morning, it soothes my frayed nerves. Ginger is waiting for me to feed her when I get home. Bedrooms and the boys' bathroom look like a tornado blew through, so I restore some sense of order there. Then it's finally my turn to eat breakfast and drink my coffee that Derek prepares for me every morning. :)

Depending on the day of the week, I might have Bible study. I might be going grocery shopping. I am most likely paying bills and checking our library accounts. Of course there's always dishes, laundry, and vacuuming to do. Since I am still doing the 30 day shred exercise video I leave some time for that. Lunchtime comes and goes and after what feels like hardly any time at all, I am back at the school picking up Kaleb and Aaron. Today I didn't do any of those things--I spent the entire day with a friend and it was wonderful! :) I did pick up my boys, of course.

After school it's a feeding frenzy in the kitchen. There's usually whining and fighting--mostly when I tell them to do homework and practice piano. Sometimes there isn't. And since Ginger ate some things she wasn't supposed to today, I induced vomiting for her when I got home. That was fun--okay, it wasn't fun at all--but a necessary evil. Some (most) people would have called the vet but I took a chance and handled it myself. She seems fine tonight.

At supper this week Derek's been asking the boys how God smiled up them today, or how did God bless them today. One of Kaleb's responses was, "Math was easy for me today." Braylen told us he helped his teacher. Aaron said, "I picked up the iPods from the work room." Hmm. He will take every opportunity to get his hands on an electronic device!

Some evenings we have things to do. Church events and meetings, mostly. None of my boys wanted to play basketball this winter, so we don't have any games to go to. Piano lessons are after school one day a week. Kaleb is almost done with his 2.5 year commitment to lessons. Soon Aaron will be our only one taking lessons.

Before we know it we are getting ready for bed. Most nights there are conflicts in the bathroom. Really, I never knew 3 boys would have a hard time sharing a bathroom. 3 girls maybe, but 3 boys? Aaron always wants to snuggle. Sometimes we read books. Most nights we just listen to Hank the Cow Dog on CD while Derek and I try not to fall asleep. Kaleb likes to read with his book light, but it must be quiet for him to read. Sharing a room with Aaron doesn't leave Kaleb with much (if any) quiet time.  Braylen tells us about 7th grade and all the crazy things that happen in middle school. He makes me laugh, every time. And then he says, "This week sure is going by fast!"

And that brings me full circle with this post. :)