Tuesday: A {crazy} day in the life

8:00 Rolled out of bed. Bed head. Fierce mood. 3rd night in a row that I was up with The Coughing Child. Kids are loud and happy, even T.C.C. Sweet husband is feeding them breakfast and having devotion with them. Sweetest gift around, he is. But...

8:15 Argued with husband. Desperate for a solution for T.C.C. Defensive, guilty, tired. Why am I saying these things?

8:30 Sent kids to do chores and get dressed (aka turn off the cartoons). Throw on clothes and call for doctor's appt. He can only see us this morning. Declare that school will begin after lunch today. Wade through dishes. Make a strawberry smoothie. Husband leaves for a consulting work day away from the farm.

9:00 Best friend calls. She never calls in the morning (so thoughtful!). I tell the kids this is an important call and I will need a while. They get back out the toys they just cleaned up. I talk for an hour and feel so encouraged. Kids are outside now laughing. Feels like fall. Josh brings me a flower and a kiss. Joy boy.

10:00 No time for shower now. It's going to be a hat and lip gloss day. I do, however, remember to brush my teeth. Do a hair/teeth check on the kids. Check. And we're out of here. Call and apologize to husband.

10:30 Doctor, drug store, errands.

12:00 Lunch. Home-made pizza. Crust not cooked all the way through. Doughy. Not a big hit. Tell the kids I need to make three phone calls and then school begins. Credit card company has cashed the check, but it is not credited to our account. No resolution. Pest control company scheduled for tomorrow...huge flea infestation from stray dog in the barn. Fleas must have traveled in on Andy's clothes. Old bank account from Georgia finally closed and check in the mail for fees that have accrued. 2 HOURS (and a very messy house) LATER...

2:00 We start school. They immediately need a snack. We start again. Praise God, they speed along the basics. Juggle grammar questions with 3rd grader, decimals with 5th grader, and planets with kindergartner, but all at the same time. Paint Pluto, dissect sentence, dry erase board for another decimal example...ping pong. Listen to her read, check his math sheet, listen to him recite poetry. Ping pong.

5:00 Only science, history, and Latin left. Take a break and I put on dinner. Didn't check the salsa that was added to the casserole. Now that it's in the oven I see the "HOT" label with three peppers beside it. Can't give it a taste test due to my diet. Smells SPICY. But it will do, along with some buttery crescent rolls and beans to mask the burn. Juggle dinner and science. Read half of history, too. Praise God for William Wilberforce. Finish up the planet painting with Lydie. And throw in a quick Latin lesson. Notice the boys are loving it. So thankful.

6:00 Husband is home. He shows the kids the picture of the chocolate lab he just held and wants us to adopt. I swear a flea crawled up my leg. I begin to itch all over and serve dinner. Smells great. The plain chicken and lemon asparagus on my plate, not so much. Tell the kids over dinner that Nana has cancer, but the doctors say they are going to get rid of it. We pray.

6:30 House is almost unrecognizable. Offer a movie if the kids can clean the house, get showers, and the boys can practice guitar with time to spare. Get a call that my father-in-law has to have surgery again tomorrow. Complications. Mother-in-law is understandably distraught as she just had surgery of her own last week. Call the kids in to tell them the news. More prayer.

7:00 Bathe Lydie. Clean the restroom as I watch her stick her head underwater and laugh hysterically when I panic. She stays underwater forever. Where was that bravery when we were in the pool this summer? Hear sweet guitar music. Marvel at my husband's teaching skills. Feel tired, overwhelmed, helpless. But oh SO loved. Feel joy welling up.

7:30 House is basically in order. Oh no, remember sheets in the dryer. Put them on all the beds. Oh no, remember we forgot to read the other history assignment. And we were supposed to discuss our composer. Noted for tomorrow.

8:00 Kids get 30 minute start on the movie. Andy talks with his parents. I finish tagging clothes to drop off tomorrow for the consignment sale. Look at the agenda for tomorrow and feel tired. Open the windows and enjoy fall air. Pray that afternoon school will not be necessary again for a long time.

8:30 Prayers and hugs and kisses with the children. Coughs (them). Sighs(me). Walk past the sink full of dishes and the toy train tracks on the floor. Enough for today. Husband reminds me again, "It's okay, babe. We live here." That's right. It doesn't have to be perfect (or even remotely in order) to be lovely. Time to cuddle.