Before Leaving the House Rush

“Mommmmmmm!  Where is my uniform?” asks Brad. The leaving the house rush begins…

“In your dresser, third drawer down on the left,” I answer.  A GPS for all the families’ items grows in a mother’s brain while pregnant along with the eyes in the back of her head.  A mother is a one person database of information.

“Mom, where is my soccer ball?”

“In your soccer bag.”

“Mom, where are my shoes?”

“Next to the garage door.”

“Mom, where are my shin guards?”

“In the laundry room, 6 inches from the dryer, to the left

I sit at the kitchen counter drinking my coffee yelling from my perch all the pertinent location information.  The dog sits at my feet and whines.  “Look in your dish,” I say.  She wants a biscuit. I can even anticipate what the dog needs.

“Honey, did you….?” before my husband can get the question out, I know what he is thinking.  “The car is gassed up, the dog is fed, the lights are all turned off, blankets and everything else is packed,” I answer with a smirk.  He scrunches his mouth up in his cute little way and nods a thank you.

You might be wondering why I sit and drink my coffee and appear to be calm.  I wasn’t always like this.  I use to be the one running all over looking for clothes, bottles, diapers, toys, sippy cups and baby wipes.  What’s the difference?  First, they can all walk, talk and pack things up on their own. Second, the running around I did when they were babies and toddlers trained me to handle this stage more gracefully.  Each stage in parenting prepares you for the next stage. Lastly, I accept the fact I am the headmaster and ringleader of this family.  Only with acceptance will you find the calm, because there is no more resistance.

“Mommmmm, did you bring the cut up oranges for the team?  You are snack Mom today.” Brad asks.

“Yes.”

“Did you wash my shorts?”

“Yes”

“Where is my…?”

The questions and answers last as long as my coffee.  I get up and do my normal cattle call.

“Time to go!” I yell.  After I set my coffee cup next to the sink, I pick up my purse and start walking to the door.

We all pack in the car and off we go.  The usual fights and breathing on each other commence in the back seat. I calmly read the paper.  All this chaos just has to be preparing me for when they are teenagers and I accept that.