Morning Mayhem Moments

Just some ramblings about my life...not sure why I want to share but maybe someone will relate or learn something or laugh at me and that would be cool too- if it makes them realize they are not alone in this crazy working Mama business...


So- I wake up around 6:30am- the goal is 5:30am- the goal is not being met/HAS not been met in many months. When I do get up at 5:30am- my life runs fairly smoothly and the other days- well- we survive by the grace of God, lots of coffee and my mad abilities to multi-task, yell and act like a drill sergeant calmly organize my family and gently instruct them in the way they should go.


I grab clothes- somedays I decide I'd rather wear jeans because I know it is going to take at least 3 hours before I feel like being super professional. Thankfully I have a casual work environment. Other days I want to dress up because maybe I haven't showered in three days (I know- EWW)  and I have been wearing frumpy clothes and acting like I am 7 for several days (meaning- whiny and irritable) and I need to be reminded that I actually CAN be grown-up and act professionally...
THEN- I grab hubby's clothes to iron. Some weeks I breathe a sigh of relief when I see he has taken his clothes to the cleaners and I can skip the 30 minute process of trying to iron his clothes perfectly- because I am a perfectionist and he works at a bank and I want my man to look GOOD.

The dog is freaking out and needs to get out so I let him out and 2 seconds later he is scratching like crazy and I am getting him food and water so that he can then lean up against the clothes I am ironing with his slobbery lips:)

I hit the coffee on and my ironing skills improve dramatically as the caffeine hits the system. I try to stop and sip about every 3-4 movements of the iron to keep myself going.

Around this time, most mornings I hear a little bottom thumping down the steps and my little guy walks into the playroom/ironing/printer/dog crate/bike shed room where I am and he plops down on his beanbag chair. He is usually sucking his thumb and dragging his blanky and he sweetly watches me iron and I sing to him or we just chill in silence...

Some mornings I stop the ironing and just sit with him until he is ready to watch a show or come watch me iron. He likes to snuggle so that is top priority.  Now some mornings, I have to admit that he asks me for cold cheese pizza for breakfast and I let him eat it. Just thought I'd throw that one out there- he is by far- the pickiest eater in our home and somedays- well- cold pizza sound just as good as healthy oatmeal and fruit. I know I've lost my reasoning a bit- it will come back some day- right?! :)

Next I hear the loud thumping of my big guy- coming down the steps like he is ready to fight an army. "Mom! Did you make me breakfast yet?!" Now we get into the daily discussion of him getting his own breakfast (which he is getting better at)- 50% of the time I try to have some fruit, yogurt  and/or his bowl, cereal and milk out and the other 50% of the time, he drags the kitchen chair over and gets the cereal off the top of the fridge and pours way too much cereal into his bowl, leaving milk splashes and Lucky Charms everywhere...


I try to get him to stop and hug me before he does anything else- usually he obliges:)



Next I race up the stairs while the two boys lovingly fight over TV shows and eat and I yell- "Make sure you pray first!" so that I can feel like I am a good Christian mother. I take a shower, and about halfway through my little sweet guy knocks on the door and asks if he can sit and "help" me get ready. I cherish these moments- seriously- he sits in his little Handy Manny underwear and gives me instructions- "Mommy- you need to put that powder on first. The you need to color your eyes- wait, let me do that." Oh- and THAT is really interesting:)

My big guy is now dressed, has eaten, watched a show and is on the prowl for something to bring to school to show his buddies or to show during share-time. Which mean he is yelling for me to help him find a tiny Lego particle that I am supposed to know exactly where he left:) Many days I wander back in the house while the car is running for that Ninjago sword or new Pokemon card.

Typically in between all of this I make two PB and J sandwiches, one for breakfast and one for lunch, throw some fruit in a bag, refill my travel coffee mug, water bottle and usually remember to put my shoes on- although the other day I only wore one sock all day.

My kiddos get in the car, after tripping over the mess in the front of the house...
and after bouncing on our mini-trampoline about 6 times and after I ask them 3 times to get in the car now "please get in the car my sweet angels it's time for school now". My big guy almost always walks out of the house without his coat or backpack, seriously- this is an everyday occurrence and my little guy still wants to be carried to the car because he all of a sudden "feels sick" and I stumble out of the house with my gigantic purse, my laptop, my 3 year old, and his Diego backpack and I almost kill myself just trying to walk to the car.

These boys are the light of my life, and all of their little antics and all of the crazy chaos of the mornings make me smile. I pray over them both on the way to drop them off and I say the same thing everyday. And even after all that cray-cray in the house, they are quiet and they close their eyes and they say- Amen. My big guy still walks around the car to give me a kiss through my rolled down window and my little guy and I have the same conversation- "How much does Mommy love you?" "Big, Big" "And?" "To the moon and back." "Does Mommy think about you and pray for you all day?" "Yes." "Are you gonna have an awesome day today?" "Yes Mommy." Somedays I get lucky and these monkeys even hug each other goodbye.

Then I drive off, swig down some more coffee and pray my way into my workday. I seriously adore those morning mayhem moments...I would not trade any of it. It is messy and it is chaotic, but it is fun, and silly and real life. And we stay grounded in Jesus no matter what because I make sure of it. I will never stop making sure Jesus is number one even in the Morning Mayhem Moments. Do I do it perfectly, never, but I do it and  He makes up the rest for all of my foibles, mix-ups and craziness.




Somedays there are no clean clothes, but my big guy finds something dirty, throws it on and smiles away as if he is dressed to the nine. My three year old sleeps in his undies but insists on wearing his best jammies to his babysitter's house and it is hilarious.

There it is- a little glimpse. I want to hear more about your life...it is magical, and it is insanity and it is delight, am I right?

Lots of Love!

Liz