My Life in the Car

When I was a teenager, my family took a vacation to Sea World.   

Since I was in the self-obsessed, world revolves around me 
stage of life, I don't remember very much of that trip.  I 
remember my brother and sister getting splashed at the whale 
show.  I remember wearing my brand new letterman jacket 
around and that's about it. However, my most vivid memory of 
that trip was watching a Chinese performing troop do a "plate

spinning" act.  I was astounded as the two performers ran from 
one end of a long stage to the other, keeping the dishes moving, 
sometimes catching one seconds before it began the dangerous 
wobble and crash.  At the time, this was somehow entertaining 
to me, but now that vivid memory feels only too real.  I am in 
the plate-spinning phase of my life.  Mostly this is a peril of my
own creation...I over commit myself and my children; I choose 
to send my children to schools outside our boundaries; I 
purposely chose to have 4 children in 9 years; I say yes when I 
should say no.  Every week feels like a race to just get through 
this "crazy week" in the hopes that next week will be better, 
but of course every week is just as crazy as the one that 
preceded it.  Some days I handle it without pause, and others I 
am hanging on by a thread.  Every once in a while I get a 
glimpse of perspective.  In a few short years, the number of 
plates in the air are going to be sadly fewer as kids grow up, 
grow independent and leave home.  I remember the years 
when I was hostage to preschoolers and nap times and car 
seats and potty training and 10,000 readings of "No, David!"  
And then suddenly, I came through that tunnel and discovered 
I missed those little 3-year-old terrorists.   I know at some stage

that is closer than it feels, I will miss this busy time as well.  
So for posterity's sake, I decided to write down what I did today 
as a fairly typical example of my days so that I can look back 
someday with a mixture of regret and relief.

7:00 am: Get everyone up and out of bed

7:00-7:55 am: Get everyone breakfast, correct Anna's Math 
homework, go through the missed problems with her and help 
her fix them.  Family prayer, say goodbye to Zachary when his

ride arrives, say goodbye to Cory.  Make sure everyone else is 
dressed, has their backpacks and lunches loaded, their hair 
brushed, and is in the car.

7:55-8:15 am: Pick up car pool; drop everyone off at school.

8:15-9:45 am: Gym! 

9:45-10:30 am: Shower, dress, get ready for the day

10:30am-12:30 pm: Color, cut, and design a door decoration for 
5th Grade teacher--teacher appreciation week starts Monday, 
doors need to be decorated on Friday.  Get online to purchase 
and print out a fishing license for Noah.

12:30-12:35 pm: Eat lunch

12:35-1:10 pm: Go to school, assemble door decoration and put 
up on classroom door.

1:10-1:30 pm: Drive elementary kids home from school--early 
release on Fridays.

1:30-3:15 pm: Make jam (strawberries are starting to mold), 
put away laundry that was washed Monday and has been sitting 
in a basket ever since, clean kitchen

3:15-3:25 pm: Help Anna find shoes and piano books for piano 
lesson.

3:25-3:30 pm: Drop Anna off at piano

3:30-3:55 pm: Run to grocery store to pick up food for weekend 
Scout campout.  Also grab a movie from Redbox to watch with 
Anna and Isaac while Dad and the older boys are

camping.

3:55-4:25 pm: Help Noah get packed and loaded for campout.

4:25-4:36 pm: Pick up Anna from piano...they're running late.

4:36-4:40 pm: Run back home to get the fishing license Noah 
forgot to pack with his stuff.

4:40-4:55 pm: Drop Noah off at church with other scouts.

4:55-5:00 pm: Get Anna changed for tumbling, get Isaac ready 
for lacrosse practice.

5:00-5:10 pm: Drive over to pick up neighbor for lacrosse 
practice.

5:10-5:22 pm: Knock, ring doorbell, call, track down Mom of 
friend, wait, and eventually give up on friend coming to 
lacrosse practice.

5:22-5:33 pm: Drop Anna off at tumbling.

5:33-5:46 pm: Drop Isaac off at lacrosse.

5:46-6:03 pm: Drive back to tumbling.

6:03-6:35 pm: Sit in car waiting for tumbling to end; type half 
of this blog post on IPad.

6:35-6:51 pm: Drive back to lacrosse.

6:51-7:10 pm: Wait for practice to finish, continue typing.

7:10-7:25 pm: Drive home.  Call my dad to wish him a happy 
64th birthday.

7:25-7:45 pm: Feed Anna and Isaac highly nutritious dinner: 
donuts and milk.

7:45-9:00 pm: Watch "Frankenweenie" with kids while folding 
rest of laundry.

9:00 pm: Family prayer, Send kids to bed, finish post, crash.  
Read? Watch TV?

Thankfully since Cory was going on the campout  I didn't have 
to find a way to pick Zachary up from baseball practice at 6:00.  
 I have to laugh whenever someone calls me a "stay home Mom."  
 Still, I am grateful for this time of life despite the frenetic pace 
and I'm grateful that I have a partner to help a little with those 
spinning plates.  We only break a few now and then.