I would like a do over of this morning!
It started off bad when I woke up and went upstairs to check on my babies, who were enjoying sleeping in, due to a two hour weather delay. The upstairs heater is broke so I have been using space heaters in two of the three bedrooms with temps in the teens. Luke's room wasn't too cold but I cranked his heater up so he would be toasty when he woke up. Emily's heater however had cut off some time in the night and her room, being the coldest in the house was freezing! Thank goodness I dressed her in the warmest pj's she has and that she sleeps completely under the covers. Head and all. I cranked her heater up to 85 and went downstairs to enjoy my coffee in silence.
The transition back to school after long breaks is not easy on Emily, so I braced for another morning of crying and resistance from her. Two hours of her telling me repeatedly she did not want to go, crying and asking questions and I was ready to get her in the car at 9:00. I was ahead of the game to get all three kids to three different schools by 9:50. At 9:10 they are loaded up in the car in the garage when Luke tells me he needs a notebook for school. It's ok. I've got one so I run back in and get it. We are good. I get down the street and my gas light comes on. I realize I've left my debit card in the kitchen so I turn the car around and run back inside to get it. I will have just enough gas to get all three kids to school and then to the gas station. I'm good! Emily's not crying even with the two little blips in the routine. Rihanna and Enimen come on the radio as we are halfway to the first school. I'm good! I'm singing and dancing in the seat. "I'm friends with the monster that's under my bed...yeah you think I'm crazy" when my phone rings. Shit! I've forgotten I was supposed to pick up Anna Grace's friend again today. I contemplate saying I just can't do it because A) we are going to be late if I do and B) I'm going to run out of gas! However, I turn around and tell her mom I will get her. After all she's an attorney and I might need a favor. Emily's not happy at this point. We are not headed in the right direction and she knows it. I am hauling ass through the neighborhoods. I'm afraid I'm going to run out of gas before I make it to a gas station. I pick the kid up and turn back around headed to school. I've got 14 miles of gas left. The closest station isn't that far but traffic is bad so I do what I can to conserve. I cut the radio off. Mistake. Emily likes her tunes and the fact that things are off is making her dangerously close to a tantrum. So I say screw it and turn the radio back on but I turn the heater off thinking that may buy me a few more miles. The kids have coats so I don't care. I am making mental notes as I drive of the people I can call if I run out of gas. I've figured I can get 3 of the 4 kids to school on time but I don't know if I have enough gas to make it to the station and Emily is certainly going to be late.
The good Lord was with me again today. I got 3 of the 4 kids to school on time and made it to the gas station with 2 miles to spare. Emily was only 5 minutes late and went in like a champ. So while I was a complete crazy woman after I dropped them off I did have a good feeling that I was able to help a friend out. Now...there is another delay tomorrow and I have to pick her up again. Here's hoping tomorrow is better than today!
Thanks for reading ~
Jessica
