Thursday, January 22, 2009

Assembly line Mama

So, my MIL came to visit for a few days.  She is a very hard working woman, who loves to help us while she's here.  She mentioned to me a few times while she was here that she didn't know how I do it.  Meaning mothering 6, homeschooling 2, changing diapers x's 2, being the maid, and the chef, and the list goes on...

And I realize that that is how I feel sometimes, that the list just goes on, and on, and on.  I got this mental picture of an assembly line that just keeps running, even when the workers change shifts.  

Though the thing with me is, I have no one to relieve me of my shift, because my shift is endless.

7:30 am starts with nursing Gloria-Grace, getting elbowed by my 5 year old who made his way into our bed yet again sometime in the night, untangling myself out of the sheets because of how disturbed my sleep was, and getting up to "no I didn't, I'm telling".  Now mind you, this is all before I get both feet on the ground!  

Then as I make my way downstairs with GG on my hip, I go to her nursery and change her for the day.  Put her down somewhere where she won't cry for a few minutes.  I then make my way to Malacai's room and know before I even open his door that he has a surprise waiting for me cause I can smell the fumes outside through the cracks!  Change him, dress him and dispose of the diaper outside!  Get him settled in his high chair, get out whatever I'm making for breakfast.  Feed the 6  of them (Husband included) do devotions/prayer, clean up, start two washes and make coffee.  

Then I get the 3 older kids dressed/combed.  Take a drink of my lukewarm coffee, eww, put it in the microwave.  Get the school books out on the table.  "YES, (Rhema/Faith/) we HAVE to do school today!"  Sit down and start to read.   Gloria starts to cry, so I go and get her from wherever I laid her, nurse while reading.  What is that annoying beeping sound??? Oh yeah, my coffee!  

So we get through Bible, History, and Missions, even though Coco is singing, Malacai is driving his cars all over the girls arms, and Gloria-Grace is distractingly cute!  

Now it is time to get Coco off to school.  "Where are your shoes Coco?"  I say... to which I often hear back "I don't know"...so we are all off to find the child's shoes, coat, bag and folder.  I then make his habitual peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wheat.  Stick it in his bag, and send him and his sisters outside to wait for the bus.  

Meanwhile, Malacai has decided that it is fun to open and close the slider to let the dog out, no in, no wait...out, ummm...SHUT THE DOOR IT's FREEZING!  

Coco is off to school, and I am making pasta/mac and cheese/PB+J/ whatever...so they all eat, and I clean up again...the girls finish up their school work, and then go off to do their fun things like computer/tv/talk on the phone.  

I change and put Malacai down for his nap, then bring GG upstairs to nurse her to sleep, go switch the 2 washers and what do you know, its quiet!!!!  So I make my lunch of pasta or salad or nachos and that oh so tasty Pepsi and read or go on the computer.  Some days I have an hour, other days two, but most days its about 45 min...

Katie comes home off the bus and relays to me all the juicy details of her (AMAZING, lets see how many times she says amazing) high school musical day while making herself a snack.  

GG starts crying, I go and get her, change her and nurse her. 

By now its about 3:30, and Coco's bus is honking in the driveway because I forgot him again.  I get my shoes on, put the baby down, she protests with real tears, go slipping and sliding out to his bus, give him a hug and tell him how much I missed him and open the door to GG's screaming.  I pick her up, answer the phone and tell my husband how great my day is going and how much I love him.  

Malacai starts to talk in his crib, I go get him, change him and kiss him.  He's happy to be out and rested.  Now its time for me to think about dinner, round the troops "STOP what you are doing and start to prepare for daddy to come home" and clean.  

Lets eat again shall we? I get dinner on the table, and call us all together.  We pray and eat and talk.  Malacai shows off his talent of naming everyone in the family and we still find it cute.  Bridges sits under his feet waiting for him to drop something.  "USE YOUR NAPKIN NOT YOUR SHIRT, WHAT WERE YOU RAISED IN, A BARN???"  

Wait a minute, now its time to clean, ummm again!  Everyone helps here, and then its PJ time...I can feel my redemption drawing near now and I start envisioning  a cup of tea, a fire and a blanket...GET THAT TABLE CLEARED, NOW!  

Cisco goes off to play with the kids and get them all excited before bed, and I finish up the kitchen, put all the days clothes that were taken off in random areas in the wash, and get Malacai and GG in their PJ's.  

I can smell the tea now, and start to get over eager.   "NO, you can brush your teeth in the morning! GET INTO BED"  We all gather in their room and read them the Bible and pray with them.  Kisses all around, and the lights are off.  3 down, 3 to go.  Malacai gets his bottle and I lay him down in the crib and bless him.  Fan on, door closed.  2 more.  

I take GG upstairs and nurse her to sleep, lay her down, and she protests in cries.  Shake her crib and wait till she's quiet.  

Now all I have left is the talkative teenager, please go somewhere!  

YES! Umm, no wait, "Where's my Lamb Mommy?" says Coco with a smirk on his face as he managed to get out of bed.  "Upstairs in my bed Coco, stay in your bed at night, and you'll always have your lamb in your bed"!   I go up quietly to my room so as not to wake up GG, and get his lamb.  

Katie is making herself something to eat, and I begin the process of starting the fire and tea.  My husband comes up behind me and hugs me...you get the picture....

So now its about 10:30 and I have yet to sit down for more then minutes at a time, all day.   
I finally have my tea made, and GG starts to cry.

So yes, an assembly line, but you know what?  I wouldn't change it for the world.  My happiest moments in my day are when I see my kids together at the kitchen table, or seeing how happy a smiling baby makes them.  And I realize, someday I'll be able to drink  hot coffee/tea while its still hot.  

And so I try and enjoy the lukewarm tea now, because these moments will be gone before I know it.   STOP FIGHTING!







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