I am an anticipator.  Looking to the future, I ponder as many possibilities, outcomes, potentials as my little multitasking brain can wrap around.  In high school my backpack was notorious for being a replica of Mary Poppin’s Legendary bag:

Lip jive:  check.  Pens:  check.  Books for school:  check.  US Magazine:  check.  A crossword puzzle ripped out from Rice Bowl’s People magazine:  check.  Deck of cards:  check.  Elmo bandaids:  check.  Lotion, bible quizzing study cards, a scrunchy, a nail file, a mix tape:  all checks.  Because you never know what you’ll need, and you never know when you might be (gasp) bored.

[I now am equipped with an in-house almost-athletic-trainer to take care of the knotted muscle I developed from lugging that backpack around, on one shoulder, cause that's how we rolled.]

This morning I got up early:  it was dark, cold, rainy, but I got up to ensure time for shower, clothes, hair goo, and face paint.  Earrings, a nice shirt, black shoes.  Why?  Because it’s Bible Study Day!  The one day of the week I can be guarenteed adult conversation with beautiful table settings and yummy, everflowing beverages and CHILDCARE!  You know:  Me Time.

Now, yesterday I thought Me Time might be in jeopardy.  The Eldest stayed home from school with a weird bronchial thing:  wheezing, “Mama, I’m not sick!  I go to school!”  “Sorry, son, why don’t you go back to practicing your Darth impression on the couch?”  But by the evening, all evil Jedis seemed to have retreated, so I thought we were in the clear.

I did not anticipate both children getting up before 6:15.

I did not anticipate one leaking out of his diaper.

I did not anticipate the other one spewing all the contents of his stomach on the placemats I had just cleaned and the Really Big and Heavy Blanket resting on his lap.

I did not anticipate the youngest playing in the toilet, the unflushed toilet, splashing the contents all over the floor for me to step in and all over himself (who had been cleaned last night).

I did not anticipate being handed a ziploc bag containing stomach contents (he likes bags more than bowls) that had a hole in it, leaking contents onto my pants.

I did not anticipate having to change everyone’s outfits multiple times today.

I did not anticipate the toilet not flushing after I used it because the splasher shoved the empty toilet cardboard thingy into the toilet.

I did not anticipate going through SoManyChloroxWipes in so few hours.

I did not anticipate.  But despite that, I did get to experience:

My tablescape turned into a bathroom scape:  toilet paper bits scattered tastefully about.

My study turned from Bible characters to Richard Scarry characters and cowboys and octopi:  an hour+ reading every library book we just checked out. learning about managing busy days and enjoying friendships.

My greetings turned from adults to children:  a boy running to give me a hug after getting up from his nap, and another gleefully running to hide behind the shower curtain, leaving his itty bitty toes poking out.

My beverages turned from coffee to Pedialyte popsicles and sugar-free cider:  both locally brewed and enjoyed on the couch while snuggling.

My political conversations turned from voicing opinions to voicing noticings:  “Mama, that’s Brock Bama!  We vote.”

My chatting with friends in person turned into chatting online and on the phone:  important information was still shared.

I did not antipate this day.  I could have been cranky (and was at times), or I could be grateful to get to use other tools in my backpack.  I hope it was more of the later (which I can say, knowing that I might get some adult contact in a few minutes:  that whole “converting all of my employer’s software” excuse is only going to last for so long ).

Daily Drivel, Mama Musings