Life Here

I will not lie, we are running at a fast pace in our new setting.

A typical day goes something like this:

• 4:51 Alarm goes off (Thank you Sarah Basile for getting me started on setting my alarm at weird times while we were in Ukraine)
• Hit CrossFit Pathos at 5:15 am to either coach or workout
• Get home at 6:55 in time to meet Jerad running out the door to work.  He usually passes by filling me in on who's awake, who has a poopy diaper, who is asleep in our bed now, where to drop off bills today, a quick kiss, and he's off!
• I assess whether I have time to take a quick shower downstairs--all depends on if a child is asleep downstairs on the couch or not--or who all is awake demanding breakfast by 7 am.  Most days a shower is not a priority.
• I whip up something for breakfast while answering all of Autum's questions as she follows me around the kitchen.."why are you stinky?"  "why are you wet?"  "where's Eeah?" "Bobby poopy?"  "We go to fish park today?"  "We Wwing (translation is swing) today?"
• While doing this, I get Blake his meds 30 minutes before he can eat breakfast, pack Leah's lunch and repack Leah's lunch if Autum gets into it and eats her candy out of it while I'm in the shower, while staying on Leah's case to keep moving, keep eating, brush her hair and teeth, find homework, get shoes on...(she's not a fast mover in the morning)
• I push everyone out the front door toward the van while I hurry up and get some clothes on to take Leah to school.  
• I get outside hoping to see the kids crawling in the van but usually find Autum riding her bicycle, Blake pouring dirt over his head out of the big flower pot out front, and Leah standing out in the street yelling something to the neighbors as they are trying to drive around her and out of our cul-de-sac.
• It takes roughly 5 minutes to get to school, so if we leave at 7:55 am I can usually get Leah to the front doors before they lock the doors and I have to go sign a tardy slip (only done that a few times)
• Then I take the 2 little's home to get their breakfast finished and cleaned up, get their clothes on for the day, and decide what all we are going to attempt to accomplish before I have to take Blake to school at 12:20.
• Somedays we have to go to the store, or according to Autum go ride in the "blue car" (translation blue shopping cart with car on the front they can drive while I push them around store)  This is usually when I realize I may have rushed too much getting everyone ready because I put Autum's shoes on her on the wrong feet (she usually does that herself with no help from me), didn't change Blake's diaper and its hanging down between his knees, realize I haven't taken Autum to the potty in awhile and she is wearing her cloth panties, that I forgot to put make up on or only have one earring in or only shaved one leg...

Most days I have the kids in and out of the van 15 times before dinner.  And it is not fun. I finally invested in a bike stroller and we ride our bikes a lot more to save getting in and out of the van so much--and on gas.  

• I then get the 2 little's lunch and we make our way to Blake's school, usually with the bike.  After dropping him off, Autum and I will sometimes head up to the gym to coach or workout before heading home about 2:20, just in time to get Autum down for a quick nap and me to eat some lunch before having to pick up Leah and Blake from school.---that is unless the dishwasher repairman shows up and takes forever, and Leah's carpool ride is running late and I can't leave to get Blake on time and the teacher isn't answering...and when I finally get to the school to pick Blake up the teacher informs me I'm late enough (25-30 minutes) that they had to call Child Services and the police...

•  We usually hit the ground running upon arrival home from school.  Empty bags and lunch pails, change clothes, refill water bottles, go over what's for dinner later because that is a big "need to know" for Leah. And head out again, either to the park to play, to feed the ducks, go to CrossFit Kids, go swim, go run errands, etc.  I get everyone home about 5 pm before I head up to the gym, some evenings, to coach again.  (can you tell I love that place?) Or else I stay home to hang out with the family, get to know the neighbors better, grind through homework with Leah, bathe little's, get lunch stuff together for the next day, etc.
• Put kids in bed.  Hang out and catch up with Jerad. Head to bed early, and exhausted.  And get ready to go again.

I will say I am feeling more settled in that I've pretty much got my routes down to all the different places we drive.  I figured out the best times and ways to get the kids to and from school on our busy street.  I am getting some actual time to sit down now and don't feel so obligated to unpack another box in my free time.  Or clean up another room or space.

So life is slowing down in a sense.  Thank God!  I was wearing down.  But we are back on the up and up now...as long as I don't get the police called on me again for another 10 years :)