Hectic is the Word

I've always loved reading "Day in the Life" posts from other bloggers, especially when they've been written by agents, editors, and other authors. It's like a peek into their life, and how cool is that, right? But now it's my turn to write about a day in MY life, and I gotta say before I get started: it's a little crazy at my house. But living it is a lot crazier than it sounds in text...in text, it's kind of boring sounding.

I have four kids, two pets, and a husband who has been laid-off for the past eight months. It's important that this previous sentence is taken into consideration as you're reading my "Day in the Life," because I am NEVER alone. Ever. Interruptions happen constantly. So, with that in mind, here is my day last Friday, April 24th.

6:30-6:45 AM: Wake up to a *thud-thud-thud* that refuses to stop. Try to ignore it, but the thudding gets louder, followed by a very upset "Meow!" Realize that the cat is stuck in the room and wants out. Now. Relunctantly get up and open the door and decide the day has started.

6:45-7:30 AM: Begin coffee. Stand in the kitchen staring at the coffee maker, waiting for it to finish. Drink first cup in relative silence before older kids wake up. Number One Son gets ready for school. Daughter is staying home because she's a senior and that night is her Senior Prom. She begins wailing about everything she has to do to be ready by 5:30 PM.

7:35 AM: Wish I could go back to bed.

8:00-8:45 AM: Younger kids wake up. They want breakfast, and they need clothes--dang, did I forget to put their freshly washed clothes in the dryer the night before? Yes, I did, so mad dash to get them dry enough so they can go to school on time.

9:00-9:20 AM: House is empy of half its human occupants. Put my copywriter hat on and begin working on a set of articles I'm writing for a client.

9:20-9:30 AM: Try to convince daughter her body is not lopsided.

9:30-9:40 AM: Try to convince daughter to not try on prom dress again because it looks the same as it did the previous two dozen times it has over the past week.

9:40-9:50 AM: Try to convince husband to take daughter to get a latte so I can have an hour of quiet time. Husband agrees. Daughter doesn't want to go. The boyfriend might stop by, and she needs to be home if he does.

9:50-10:30 AM: Work on article one for client while trying to ignore the loud sighs from the daughter as she walks in and out of my office.

10:30-10:45 AM: Sigh in frustration when daughter is still sure her body is lopsided. Try again to convince her that is not the case.

10:45-12:30 PM: Take laptop and hide in younger child's room and finish article one and start on article two. Giggle joyously when left alone for more than 10 minutes! Hear daughter freaking out because her hair appointment is in 30 minutes, and even though the salon is 3 minutes away, is sure she will be late if we do not leave THAT MINUTE.

12:30-1:00 PM: Take daughter to salon. Look through photos and help her decide what she wants. Assure her she will be fine without the presence of her mother overlooking the upsweep and the curling about to take place.

1:00-2:00 PM: Mad dash to the grocery store and then return to get daughter. Tell her how gorgeous her hair is. Listen to her complain that her mother (me) missed out on sharing an important prom moment by not sitting in a chair watching the upsweep and curling commence.

2:00-3:30 PM: Finish article two for client. Decide nothing else will get done until daughter leaves for prom.

3:30-4:00 PM: Greet and chat with other kids after school.

4:00-4:30 PM: Re-curl the same strand of hair repeatedly for daughter until she is happy with the "slope" of the curl. Help her with makeup, dress, etc.

4:30-5:00 PM: Prep dinner.

5:00-5:15 PM: Take lots of pictures of beautiful daughter and handsome boyfriend before they leave for prom.

5:15-5:20 PM: Collapse in chair and realize hardly any work has been completed that day.

5:20-6:00 PM: Dinner and family talk.

6:00-7:00 PM: Take younger kids and dog to park so they can play on swingsets they like better than the one in their own backyard.

7:00-8:00 PM: Answer e-mails, check blogs, create a to-do list for the following day.

8:00-8:30 PM: Listen to husband's new story idea and give feedback.

8:30-9:00 PM: Play Scrabble on the computer. Win!

9:00-9:30 PM: Put younger kids to bed, read them a story.

9:30-12:30 AM: Work on manuscript.

12:30-1:30 AM: Watch DVR and then collapse in bed.

You might say this isn't a typical day because my daughter isn't going to prom everyday, and while that point is correct, there is always something happening at my house that needs my attention. The days I'm most productive are when all four kids are in school all day, but honestly--that doesn't happen as often as you'd think. Take for example last week:

Monday: YAY first day after spring break, all kids are in school. Well, this is true until one of my younger son's became ill and needed picking up.

Tuesday: Other younger son is now ill. He is home.

Wednesday: Daughter is ill. She is home.

Thursday: Son says he's ill, but I think he just wants to stay home. He stays home because I can't prove he isn't ill.

Friday: Prom--daughter is home to get ready.

Today, however, everyone is blessedly at school and I'm actually getting some things completed. Kind of. Husband is still here, and he has needed all sorts of information today that (for some reason) I am the only person who can supply it. So yep, my daily life is hectic and filled with interruptions, and except for rare moments, I love it just the way it is.

Have a great Monday!