It’s National Families Week. A time to pause and reflect on what your family means to you.
To celebrate what makes your family unique.
So, what makes your family unique?
I really had to think about this question. Like, in a line-up of families, what would distinguish my family as my own? Like, what’s our thing?
Hmmm…
6.00am Like many parents, we start the day by waking up to a surprise stow-away (or two) in our bed. The highlight of my day is probably early morning cuddles as I slowly regain consciousness. ‘I’ hungry. Can we have breakfast now?’ Boooooo!
The kids eat their breakfast, while I down my coffee & toast and read a line or two of my bible, before they’re ready for the next thing.
Showers; throwing clothes on moving targets, emails beeping insistently on my iPhone.
8.30am Pop’s here! Relief, excitement. My work day can start.
I’m so grateful to have my parents living locally. They help look after the kids so I can work from home.
10.00am Conference call… ‘Mama…’ Tyson whispers loudly, opening my office door…. ‘I’m not going to play cars any more. I’m getting my trains out.’
‘Sorry everyone, where was I?’ Everyone is very understanding. We are a family business. Very authentic.
Conference call finished. Load of washing on.
12pm ‘I want something to eat.’ Tyson has snuck past Pop. Lunch time. Sandwiches all round.
2.30pm Pop has to head off on his School Bus run. My work day is all but over.
I put my feet in the sand pit. It reminds me of our family holiday to Fiji last year… Soft, cool, soothing.
‘Mama! Stop looking at your phone. I’m making a sandcastle!’
‘Sorry, darling. I’ll make a moat…’
Phone rings… ‘Yes, next week is great. Monday…. I’m not available after 2.30pm.’ (Pop Day Care closes at 2.30pm)
5.30pm Daddy’s home. ‘Daddy’s home!’ The boys declare loudly. I have to remind them not to run towards to car until the engine’s stopped. Does every mother live in constant fear that their child will be run over? Or is it just me?
6pm Work out. ‘I’m going to excercise, too, mama!’ My boys scurry downstairs. I put on Jillian Michaels and they jump around with me. For about 3 minutes. Then they run outside to ride their bikes and return when I’m doing sit-ups to jump on my stomach. Awesome.
6.30pm Bath time… dinner time. Yes, it’s pasta again (it’s easy and fills them up and mama doesn’t have time to be creative – does that make me a bad mama?).
7.00pm Bed time! Doing a ‘Happy Dance’ inside my head. Bed time! I climb up to the top bunk and snuggle with my boys while we pray.
‘Amen!’
I cuddle each of my boys for a long time. I miss them when they sleep.
7.20pm They’re asleep! TV on. Tracksuit pants on. ‘So, how was your day?’
‘Sigh.’
9.30pm The majority of my work is done now. While the house is quiet and I can string my thoughts together… uninterrupted.
11.00pm Force myself to go to bed. Still so much to do! But I will be awoken at 6.00am tomorrow and… I… must… sleep……..
Is it possible to love someone more than all the love in the world combined? That’s how I feel about my little family. Crazy, chaotic, fun, infuriating, precious.
Precious.
So, what makes your family unique?