A Frantic Morning

This morning was a bit crazy. The scenario: Laura leaves every day about 6:45 in the morning for work. That leaves me with August (10), Déla (8), Ciárán (6) and Xavier (3) and I have to get them ready for (and to) school by 8:20 when school begins. I say this not as a “woe is me my life is hard” because it’s not really difficult, I just bring this up because it’s the background for how this morning went.

Déla had her first Cantiones rehearsal this morning. It’s sort of like choir. Anyway, it is held before school. This means I have to make sure she is ready first. I need to get her to school, which is thankfully a block and a half away.

Of course, since the other kids are young, I can’t leave them home, so they have to be at least ready to walk out the door. We can return home to finish getting ready after dropping off Déla.

One wrinkle in this plan, however, is August and Déla having orthodontist appointments this morning.

Here’s how it went down:

7:35 – Ensure Déla is actually ready, which includes teeth and hair brushed. Pile into the Millennium Falcon.

7:40 – Pull in across from where Cantionis is rehearsing. Get all the kids out of the Millennium Falcon (because I can’t leave them alone in the van, not legal, not safe, not gonna happen) and take Déla in. Check with the leader about exactly when rehearsal will be over.

7:45 – Pile the three remaining kids back in the van and re-position into a more advantageous parking spot.

7:50 – Arrive home and finish getting the three remaining kids ready for school.

8:15 – Walk to school, dropping Déla and August’s backpack in the Millennium Falcon along the way. Drop Ciárán off in his line for Kindergarten. Walk over to where Cantiones is supposed to let out with August and Xavier. When she comes out walk over to where Xavier is to be dropped off for preschool.

8:25 – Drive off to the orthodontist.

Things lighten up then, as it’s only a matter of taking August and Déla to the orthodontist then taking them (back) to school.