Overload

The last time I felt this crazy was in the picture above.. surrounded by boxes I was too tired to unpack... massively pregnant with the twins. 

Here's the part where I need to vent.. I was going to write a list of things I hate.. but I came up blank. Instead will you please listen to my sob story of the events this morning? 

The girls cried as soon as they woke up and saw that Daddy was again at Swim Practice. He was just there last night they reasoned.. why does he have to be there this morning too?? Took the time to shower, came downstairs and got everyone dressed and fed. Running a little behind so skipped my own breakfast and coffee while I got Frankie up and packed snacks. Trying to get everyone in coats when Frankie has a fit about something I didn't understand and coughs/screams out a whole mouthful of Cheerios onto her coat and mine. Burst into tears (for no reason?) and run to get paper towels whimpering and mumbling about my inability to do this (the things you said you'd never say in front of your children right?). Clean us up and hurry everyone to the car since we are now running late. Ice all over the windows. Well that's just great. Everyone in the car. Car is on heating up but ice still not melted. Grab baby wipes container and start scraping ice off the windows - it works! Take good care not to scrape away the "pond full of fish" that Ada has scratched into her window. Jump in car and off we go. Arrive at school. Why is the parking lot so empty? Where are the carpool people? Oh.. that's right. It's late start day today. We are an hour (AN HOUR) early. Laugh with the girls about how silly mommy is! Shall we get a breakfast treat to kill some time? Oh wait that place is full to the brim - not dragging the 4 of us in there only to have to re-pack everyone in the car. Drive around North Hills looking for other possibilities. Narrowly avoid getting into a wreck with TWO different women in Volvos who back out of the *&#^$^ parking spaces without even glancing behind them!!! The first time I slam on breaks so hard the girls say ouch! The woman sees me do this and calmly continues to back out without so much as a wave of apology. The second time I have to hit the gas to avoid some woman hitting Ada's door. What is HAPPENING PEOPLE?!?!! By now I am panting in frustration. The girls are asking me what "moronic idiot" means.. whoops. I tell them mommy needs to stop driving around and find somewhere to be still for a few minutes. We drive to the little pond and mill right across from the school. It is freezing outside this morning but I tell them it might be fun to go on a early morning nature walk. They are excited. Dear Jesus how I love those little girls. Get everyone out and take deep breaths while they blow "smoke" and examine the glistening frost on the leaves. We giggle about the pumpkin someone has tossed into the creek. We laugh at how cold the geese look in the water. We get back into the car and warm up again before heading off to school. Frankie is hungry because she didn't finish her breakfast before I forced us all out the door this morning. Ada and Margot both ask for a few of their ABC cookies from their snack bag to give to their baby sister. Their idea. Frankie munches happily and the big girls smile and tell me about how they will tell their teachers about our crazy morning. I quietly pray they have forgotten the "moronic idiot" part.

Now Frankie and I am home and I will gather my strength back and try to get something accomplished before we need to leave to pick up the girls. I am determined to laugh about this morning instead of crying. It wasn't really that bad after all .. everything just seems gigantic when you are exhausted and about to make the biggest purchase of your entire life. I have only just started to get weepy about leaving our neighborhood and our precious neighbors too... Deep breaths.