Live it & Love it.

For some reason I’ve never been a “Case of the Mondays” kind of person. I gravitate more toward the “Terrible Tuesdays”. I don’t want to bring down your Tuesday with these antics— yet perhaps find a way to make this Tuesday less terrible, if need be.

In the past, come Monday, I was typically looking forward to getting back into a school routine. I just really liked seeing my friends, teachers and coaches and getting back to practice, etc. Sure I hated the homework and quizzes; I was never one of those students that could excel by not studying. Infact I had to try very hard to make iffy grades in school. Academia was by no means my natural setting. But being social was. For better or for worse, that’s what school was for me.

So- to reiterate, Mondays I was usually “up and at ’em”. Even after I graduated college and was in the ‘real world’ tryin to make a dollah, I was pretty annoyingly peppy at those Monday morning meetings. (Short lived as the work week woes would set in by Tuesday.) I also, as stated, am a huge list maker. So Mondays at work were spent handling the (creative and enjoyable) task of list making for the week. List making relaxes me. However, I’m not sure if that shouldn’t be filed under hyper organized or unobvious procrastination. Maybe a little bit of both, as I’m sure it takes me longer to create my beautifully crafted lists as it would just to knock out four of the said items on the list itself. But like, then which items would I know to knock out? The irony, I tell you.

One of my (many, many…many.) bosses taught me that actually list making is good, but you gotta do it right. Don’t just add “Snowflake” or “Vet” onto your list if your bunny Snowflake needs to go to the vet. Note to “Call vet for Snowflake appt” or something with detail.  When seeing more detail, your brain subconsciously begins to process the task and is more eager to tackle it. That boss learned this tidbit at a fancy schmancy business school, so it must be right. Take that for a (bonus!) Tip-sy Tuesday! As Maui from Moana says it best,……”Ya welcooooome!”

Despite my “up and at ‘em-ness” and being a morning person- I have to admit my “work” mornings have been straight up dreadful lately and I thought I’d take this (ugh) Tuesday to gripe about it :). Monday- Friday; my morning routine getting the kiddos ready for school is straight up brutes. Like BRU-TAL. And I ain’t gonna be the mom that lies and tells you otherwise.

Go ahead and skip this little paragraph if you don’t want your blood-pressure to spike AND/OR you don’t like when people list all that they do to stay relevant in the world….cuz this will cause some major eye rolls :)

But for real, here I go….. after my natural alarm/s awaken me (son crying and middle daughter stomping around headed my way), I get out of bed only to force wake my oldest who is straight up yelling and crying before her eyes even open. Thankfully I’ve picked out several clothing options for middle (crankiest) child–  already nerve-wracked that she will disapprove of them all.  Sometimes I force it with her, others I’m just scared and give in and let her wear the damn bathing suit. Son is pretty easy as long as he is being fed whatever it is with swift momentum. “Mo-er, Mo-er”…is all that really comes from him until I can finally wrestle him (after catching him), forcefully pinning him down for a diaper change and clothes swap. That’s always fun. At this point of the morning, we are three for three hating me, swinging at me and it isn’t even 7:32AM.  After the juice cup negotiation, the clothing tantrums, the food choice demands, the multiple diapers, the teeth brush agony, the hair debacles, the shoe throwing, the tears (from all, including mom)….I get to listen as they file out of the door to the car with their little backpacks on quietly chanting in unison “mean mommy. mean, mommy. …..” and I can only laugh through the lump in my throat. How did my voice just get so escalated as I demanded them to “GO. GET. IN .THE.CAR”… (which in their defense, they just stare at me because not one of them can actually get in the car without my assistance.) And did I really just have to control myself from throwing the sippy cup at the wall? Was I really just clenching my teeth when forcing little man’s shirt on him? Is that abuse? Ugh. Calgon… Or maybe I just need a parenting tutor. Or wait- what is a sister wife? Maybe that.

After I have made three kiddo drops at two schools before 9AM and I can breathe, but still feel like I need to be punched in the face– like WHOA did that all just really happen? And we made it on time? And I didn’t forget a backpack, lunch or a sleep mat? –Whew! Feelin like a winner now! And now there is absolute silence? Wait that silence is actually kind of eery. Anyway….woe is me, I get it.

It’s a hard way to start your day 5 out of 7 days a week. It is. But this is what I asked for. Stay at home mom at the moment—and trying to take it all in stride. This time will not last forever, and I’m sure like an old demanding boss or a sh*tty ex boyfriend, eventually I’ll forget the bad stuff and long for the purpose or the good glimmers that will outshine the rest. (But…ahem… this is being documented here and now, so you can help remind me it was tough as hell when those sentimental feelings emerge. ;)

I’ve written about many places that have brought me peace and joy, and I feel like it is time to acknowledge the beautiful place that I live. And love. Savannah, Georgia. And especially this view, posted above, that beckons me each morning as I head back home after the madness of that morning sh*t show.  And to be honest, even when there is whining in the backseat on the way to school, seeing this view on the outbound reminds me too, this is where you are in life, and it’s not so bad. (This picture does no justice for the low country’s Moon River beauty. Stay tuned and I’ll take a new one with my fancier camera :)

I’ll spend more time trumpeting Savannah down the road— I feel like I’ve just stained everyone about Terrible Tuesdays so, the town deserves its own talk space. And it will . Soon enough. In the meantime, just take this as a reminder to love where you live, as my native hometown, Spartanburg, SC slogans. Embrace wherever you are with bright eyes and helping hands. I’m guilty of not taking advantage of enough of what our town has to offer—and it’s a lot. It is my goal for the coming year to get out and DO more. Attend one event, at the very least, a month. Towns need genuine interest to thrive. And teamwork makes the dreamwork. I challenge you to pick a spot in your current town and take a picture. From a beautifully manicured, litter-free road median, an old, charming industrial building or perhaps a riverbank on the water’s edge. Whatever touches you and makes you take pause in the chaos of your day and say—I’m glad I get to live here. Lucky me.

Send your pics and I’ll post em!  [email protected] or post under comments.  xo