A day in my life

I thought it would be interesting to share how I handle a day on 4 hours of sleep. This happens to me periodically and is an amazing testament to God's strength in my life.

4:30am-I am home from work and go right to bed. I don't really remember getting in bed as I fell asleep so quickly.

7:13am-My husband wakes me enough to say goodbye and make me take out my ear plugs so I can hear the kids when they get up. Unfortunately he lets the cat in. This is usually alright except that Mortymer wanted to lick me and not settle down to sleep.

8:30am-The first cries of children are heard. They are calling for Daddy, does this mean I don't have to get them until he gets home from work? I began praying in earnest for strength and patience to operate on such little sleep and not make the kids suffer for it.

8:40am-I finish my pleas to God as both children are calling for Daddy (he is usually home to get them up). There is also talk about poopy going on up there. That means I better hurry.

8:50am-I have assisted both children with their morning constitution, so to say, and we head down stairs for breakfast. The kids are fighting over who gets to turn the light off.

10:52-We have gotten dressed without the usually fighting over hair brushing, the first miracle of the day. We have also watched a short video while I rested on the couch. The children were quiet and began playing together after the video was over. They are getting along well which is my second miracle of the day. I however, am praying for some surge of energy to accomplish some task, so I start writing this entry.

Devotional aside: The sermons at church lately have been about the work and ministry we do in our lives. They have been very applicable, helpful and challenging. One point I have taken from them is to remember that I am working for the Lord and not men. It is so easy to get caught up in the positive and negative feedback from peers and supervisors. Although my performance needs to meet certain levels, if I remember that it is the Lord I am serving, I will not only perform better but will enjoy my work much more. The discouragement from critics will fall away. This also serves to remind me that my witness is at stake. Which brings in another verse from Isaiah 30:15. I have thought on this one at other times in my life. "In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength." If I am quiet and trust in the Lord I will have the strength to keep working and serving.

11:10am-I have only been interpreted a dozen times which I think is pretty good. Luke wants to go "uppie stairs", I think he may be getting hungry.

11:45-While Luke eats his grapes, I putter around cleaning the living room and such. I notice that I am having a hard time concentrating on any one thing. Could it be the lack of sleep?

1:00pm-The kids and I look at the scrapbook from 2006. Luke laughs at all of the pictures of himself. I tear up a little at the pictures of him after his surgeries. Another miracle, my precious little boy.

2:00pm-I'm done, I have put Luke down for a nap and Hannah is watching The Muppet Caper. I retreat to my bed that has been calling my name all day. John will be home in a few minutes anyway.

3:50pm-Ack!!!! I wake with a start. I have one hour to get ready to take Hannah to gymnastics and I haven't showered yet today.

4:00pm-Shower done, drying off-BIG PROBLEM. My lovely husband washed the towels yesterday and they are still in the dryer. I thought of this earlier but forgot when I woke up in my rush to get ready. I stomp on the tub floor hoping he will hear me down stairs and bring me a towel. Finally, I walk across the bathroom dripping on the floor to the linen closet hoping to find an old towel or something and there is nothing but a hand towel. Enter Hannah, "What are you doing Mommy?" I reply, "Go tell Daddy to bring me a towel!" My husband is nothing if not efficient.

4:50pm-Running out the door for gymnastics, I made it

6:00pm-Got through a nice gymnastics class with Hannah and John had dinner waiting when I got home. I guess that means he redeemed himself for the towel thing.

6:42pm-I ponder over dinner at how well the kids and I have done today, especially considering my tiredness. I ask Hannah to help clean up the dishes to which she says, "I didn't make this mess." Enter first mommy lecture of the day (surprisingly much later in the day than earlier anticipated), "Did you eat dinner, do you live here, don't I clean up your messes, blah, blah , blah...." All you mothers know what the lecture is. It was effect though and I even got her to pick up a few other things.

11:33pm-The rest of the evening went well. Hannah and I finally got to her school work after dinner and then Luke and I played with blocks for quite some time. Then it was the tackle Mommy game which makes parenting on 4 hours sleep worth every minute. I remember a little more of the sermons that have stuck with me. There are times in life when everything seem to be opposing us. When quiting feels like the best option. One thing the Bible teaches over and over though is that God has a sovereign plan and all the opposition in the world can't change that. Isaiah reminds us that God will keep us in perfect peace if our minds are steadfast because we love Him. Maybe this day is only interesting to me but the fact that I have this or any day, is quite a miracle.

P.S. The rest of the towels are still in the dryer.