Tuesday

I am an official (and one of the founding members) of the S.A.H.W. Many people wonder what one does as a member of this elite group. I thought I would share with you one of my typical days and I am sure the other members' days are similar with slight variations. Here goes:

- Woke up at 6:10 (It amazes me that I don't even need an alarm clock for this exciting event...Insert tongue in cheek here when I write "exciting" I am not a morning person)

- I begin to encourage my children to get dressed and eat breakfast

- I continue to encourage my children to get dressed and eat breakfast

- My encouragement takes the form of "encourage"

- I make coffee, why? I don't drink the stuff...

- I make tea...for me

- A little more "encouragement" and we are out the door...Okay, I am still in my pajamas...What's your point?

- I pretend to listen as my children discuss tornados...for 3,000,000,000 time this week.

- Answer call from my husband

- Ah, we are now at school, drop off children...

- Return home, shower, throw in a load of laundry, gently remind oldest child to unload dishwasher, put away clothes, head out to the Nursery for a mandevilla, pick up dry cleaning/drop off dry cleaning, go to the Post Exchange for Weed Killer, go to Commissary for groceries, get Facebook text message from High School BFF wanting to know who ***** ***** is, I can remember the face and the name...nothing else, I promise to look him up for her when I get home, pick up youngest child from PreK, feed child the McDonald's I picked up to keep him happy while I put away groceries...put away groceries, more laundry, start pork tenderlion for dinner in crock pot, plant mandevilla, put out weed killer, put out ant killer, make small talk with neighbor walking dog, fulfill promise to look up ***** ***** for BFF so she can determine whether to confirm or ignore friend request, scan yearbook picture (I think Facebook friend requests could be the subject of another blog), make a cup of tea, head back to school for middle child, off to dance class

- Drop off at dance class, go to gas station and fill up the taxi, go to Post Office, return to dance class, try to read book, get frustrated at noise level, go to front entry, listen to youngest complaining his head hurts, wonder how he managed to get ketchup in his hair...realize that isn't ketchup, it's blood...look at gash, realize...this might need a stitch. Call husband for second opinion since his office is close by...but nope, he is busy and he will have to talk to me later...make executive decision to go to urgent care...Call oldest daughter to meet me at Urgent Care so she can take Middle Child to her swim class.

- Listen to voice of panic for entire 20 minute drive from the injured child...Ask middle child to hold his hand and console the fearful patient.

- Nurse can't decide if that needs a stitch and calls for her version of the second opinion...the doctor...he debates and decides no stitch is needed since the tissue surrounding gash is not swollen. I grab counter to keep from passing out at the words "swollen tissue." (Did I forget to mention I am not good with blood?)

- It is now 6:00 p.m. I decide to quickly pound out a blog entry on today. My eyes feel heavy, I feel tired...the house is quiet for the next few minutes until...the husband and the two daughters return home...then dinner, baths, stories, "encourage" the brushing of teeth (last two items are out of order but I am too tired to fix it) Hopefully, I will be able to watch American Idol before I fall asleep. Husband calls to ask if I would like to meet him for dinner in an attempt to get out of dog house...I try to sound cheery when I say "No, I made dinner."

And that is the somewhat typical day of a S.A.H.W. (just substitute Cub Scouts, baseball, or T-ball for dance and swim class...)