Tuesday

Tuesday is carpool day. And trash day. I get up at 6:45 and make lunches and get Courtney some breakfast and then drive her and 4 boys to school. They entertain me with their last minute studying before a big test or discussions of school assignments. They all get straight "A's" and are always on time, ready to walk out the door, when I honk just after 7:00.

When I arrive back home I honk for Marty and then drive around getting his carpool. The kids in the Jr. High carpool are much quieter-- unless a big sports game was on the night before. If so, then the boys have a lot to talk about.

I get home by 7:40, just in time for Christopher and Nicholas to start making their way downstairs. They have breakfast and then we do piano practicing and by 8:20 they are heading out the door. Or running upstairs looking for socks. Or sometimes running upstairs to get dressed. It all depends on the day. Or the night before.

Today I went walking after the kids left. I try to leave by 9, but often there are dishes to wash, phone calls to make and e-mails to send. And I enjoy my walk much more if the pressing things aren't hanging over my head.

One Tuesday a month I have lunch with a group of friends. Today we went to Corner Bakery to celebrate a birthday. Another Tuesday I volunteer in Nick's class. Another Tuesday I try to go to the temple. The final Tuesday we keep saying we're going to have breakfast with my high school friends, but we haven't yet.

After a long lunch today, lots of laughs and catching up, I had a few minutes to run some errands and then it was time to pick up the high school carpool at 2:15. After I drop all the kids off, I head back to get the Jr. High kids. After I pick them up and get them home by 3:00, I've got a few minutes before heading to scouts at 3:30.

I'm home by 5--just in time to get dinner going and ready by 6. At 7 the big kids and Dan head off to Young Mens/Young Womens and I help the little kids with their homework, reading and getting to bed.

We finish up just as the big kids are getting home. Today we remembered to read scriptures and say family prayer. Sometimes we forget. We're trying to be better about remembering.

I like the routine of Tuesdays. I like knowing what comes next as we move from one activity to the next. I like being the carpool driver and listening to the kids talk and laugh and hear what's on their minds. I like the enthusiasm of the scouts and learning new things to teach them and sneaking in a few minutes to chat with my partner while the scouts are busy working on stuff.

Routinely Tuesday.