1:31a.m. awake, fully clothed, and wonder if it's morning
It is not morning, but I fell asleep nursing my fussy 9-month-old earlier than I usually go to bed, so it almost felt like a good night's sleep by then.
2:30a.m. awake to cries of "Mama" from down the hall. Legolas has lost his pacifier. Please don't write anonymous "recommendations" about 2 year olds and pacifiers. I know. I know! (and I'm paying for it).
6:30a.m. Now it's morning! About half of the kids are up. Make coffee. Try to pray.
7 a.m. emergency cleaning effort. Dishes, vacuuming, pick-up. 9-month-old Eowyn is eating everything off of the floor. I try not to do housework on Sundays, so Monday mornings can be tricky (read: big disaster everywhere). On the first day of school, we knew we didn't want to start like this.
8:15 a.m. leave for daily Mass. Mass begins at 8:15a.m. We live 10 minutes away from church. You do the math, we made it to communion.
9:10 a.m. scramble a dozen eggs, toast a loaf of bread (no I'm not exaggerating. Ok, I think there were maybe 5 slices left). Tell everyone to eat fast.
9:30 a.m. Begin "Circle Time". Bible study and Shakespeare to start our day. Bible study went great. Shakespeare? I was pretty much hearing the kids' version of "boo and hiss": "This is the worst lecture ever!" and "Can we just do workbooks or something?!"
Am I daunted? Oh heck no! This is going to be great!
11a.m. I give in: workbooks it is.
stay with me now: 11:01 no lesson plans for grades 4 and 6.
11:02 smell something and realize it's someone's diaper
11:03 three to five children need me to direct them before they can start
11:04 discover 4th grade lesson plans (Thank You!!)
11:05 bickering over someone counting too loudly, and counter-bickering
11:06 complaints that "this math is too easy"
11:07 tears that this math is too easy
11:08 tears over the noise, and that the (other child's) math is too hard
11:09 tears because noise sensitive child called other child the "scourge of the schoolroom"
11:10 tears because help is needed
11:11 shouting (through tears) because help is actually NOT needed
[exodus from classroom of three children seeking silent places to work]
11:12- 11:30 surprisingly productive and cheerful work accomplished
LUNCH
I made mac n' cheese, so my kids thought I was the best mom ever. The afternoon was our annual "Birthday of Mary (Sept. 8th)/ Back to School" party. We sang Marian hymns outside of our local church and then went to a park for Marian-blue cupcakes and soccer. The kids scored loot bags filled with pencils and erasers and candy. I got to vent to my friends about the "first day".
Basically, it was great!
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