A (hopefully not) normal day

While overall we are settling in well, lest you think all is rosy and perfect over here in Africa-land, let me fill you in on our day on Friday.

6:15- Wake up and do my devos in the nice quiet. That was the last quiet moments I was gonna get.

6:45- One munchkin awakens and wakes up the whole crew...who really aren't ready to face the day quite yet

6:50- I try to get a shower, but hear shrieks and utter despair coming from my one-year old who is being held captive by my helpers, lest he join me in the shower. 

8:30- Breakfast is done, all four children have cried (some multiple times), heads have been shwacked, towers knocked over, skin scraped off, scooters ridden (and crashed), bandaids applied, lunch prep done (main meal of the day), diapers thrown in washer, and now it is time to walk Cooper to school...is there time for me to take a nap? Nope. Put the baby in the carrier, round up children, help with shoes, lock every door in the house, re-round up children, and take off. Watch out children, don't step in that donkey poop. Or run face-first into that donkey, watch where you are walking! 

Walk Cooper to school (10 minute walk up the hill).

Drop him off, grab some carrots from a neighbor, walk 10 min back down the hill. 

9:15- Put Tucker down for nap. (yes, he is now back to a morning nap. or else Cole would leave 2nd grade knowing less than when he started) Give AJ something to do. Involving scissors. Desperation people! 

Try to get Cole motivated to write (his least favorite part of school)

Take AJ to bathroom.

Coerce Cole into writing by showing him cool stuff on Google maps. 

Answer the door. Lose Cole in the process. 

Try to finish our work in the 90 min. before we have to be back up to pick up Cooper. Fail.

Hang diapers on the line.

Get baby up. 

Give everyone a snack. 

10:50- Head back up the hill to pick up Cooper. Yeah! Poop is now gone, one less thing to step in. Drop Tucker off with Stephanie. 

11:00- Read to the 3 year-old--2nd graders. (more accurately, read to the K-2nd graders while the 3 year olds poke them, throw dirt and roll around on the blanket.) Try to keep children focused on the book and not the chameleon resting on 2nd graders shoulder. 

11:30- Send 2nd graders to math, watch left-over children. Fetch drinks, break up fights, take children to bathroom, rescue those stuck in trees. 

12:15- Pry my own children away from their friends, walk home, try to make lunch. Children screaming, falling, hitting, crying, trying to steal food, one year old  spilling water out of water filter, pulling every utensil out of drawer including 6 long scary knives, that thankfully 5 year old brother took from him, (who put them in that drawer?? Not me!).

1:00 Get lunch on table, children in house, hands washed, no Eric-just starting a case, one year old throws all forks on the floor,pick them up, pass out food, go get napkins, go get drinks, go heat up bread, return, pray for food, kids eat food, I eat food, one year old throws food, children scatter. Bring children back to clean up. Wash dishes (househelper has day off)

1:30- Get 3 year old in bed. One year old still wreaking havoc on house. Big boys outside. 

SO TIRED. Dare I sit down?

Yes, for 2 min. 

Phone call.

Phone repair man.

Send big boys to PE. 

Realize it is raining. OH NO! DIapers on the line. Go rescue them.

Make pizza crust. Make cookie dough. 

Big boys come home.

LIttle one goes down.

Friends come to play. 

Three year old gets up.

One year old gets up. 

Snacks all around.

Friends leave.

Make dinner.

Children destroy house, but not each other.

Husband comes home to the rescue.

Eat dinner. 

Tame the savage beasts.

Put them to bed. 

Fall into chair, exhausted. 

Tomorrow is Saturday. Hooray!!