Sunrise

I love sunrise.  It's a new day.  Overnight we have slept (maybe) and we are beginning again.  Maybe yesterday I lost it more than once, but today is a chance to be completely different.

This morning, I rocked this mothering thing.

I was up all night.  Juliette had another inconsolable fit from midnight to 1:30am.  Then when she finally went down Benjamin was up.  Suffice it to say, when everyone awoke at 7am I was bleary-eyed from zero sleep.  It could have been a sluggish and yelling kind of morning.

But it wasn't.  I descended with the boys, James saying he would be five minutes behind.  By the time he came down, I had served breakfast and the school lunches were made.  I packed everything up and informed the boys that when they were done that bowl of cereal and platter of fruit, they would dress and get ready for school.  Then they could return to eat more, or use the time to play.  (We've been late to the bus all week.)  What is usually an everybody-drag-your-feet morning routine was in ship shape.  Everyone was ready with 40 minutes to spare.  I folded laundry, did the dishes, jumped in the shower and dressed with 15 minutes to the time we had to leave the house.  I called everyone together to get in winter gear, which took 5 minutes instead of the usual 15.  So with everyone in hats and coats and gloves and backpacks, we had a 5 minute devotional, standing at the front door.  We left the house with plenty of time and walked at a normal pace to our bus stop, at which we arrived well before the bus.  Three happy boys hopped up the bus stairs and off they went.

There was no yelling or fighting or crying.  There were clear expectations and schedules.  There were full tummies and minds and spirits.

Yes, this morning I rocked this mothering thing.

Celebrate the victories, because who knows what the next sunrise might bring.