hallelujah, we've survived the first week!

I was really worried about getting up on time all this week.  I prayed for God's strength to help me out, and He totally came through for me.  Not only did I wake up on time, I woke up early most mornings.  Praise God for the little things in life, right?

I really love mornings.  I love not feeling rushed, which is why I was up early.  I love taking a shower when they're all asleep, and I love the quiet that comes with the darkness that is still outside.  I thought I would give you a glimpse into my morning routine this week.  I don't know how I came up with it, but it just happened, and everything just flowed.  All week long.

*First off, I've been going to bed between 9-9:30 all week, except for last night, when I went at 10:15.  I read for at least 15 minutes and I start nodding off.
*I wake up at 5:30 and shower.
*I come downstairs and immediately start packing lunches.  This takes a good 15 minutes.
*I start making Graham's breakfast at 6-6:15.
*I wake him up at 6:20.
*Three mornings this week, he showered and dressed before coming downstairs.  The other 2 he had showered the night before.
*He eats breakfast, and while he eats, we talk and have devotion, then we pray.
*He goes back upstairs to brush his teeth (and sometimes dress if hasn't showered yet).
*He comes back down, we make sure his backpack is packed, and that he has his band stuff and lunch, and he puts his shoes on.
*He walks out the front door at 7:10 to walk down the street to the bus stop with his friend, Kari.
*I have 20 minutes of more quiet (time to blog!  Or do facebook) before I wake up the rest of the bunch at 7:30.
*They all come down (Drew always dresses first) and have breakfast.  While they eat, we talk and I make sure everything they need is laid out so they can finish packing their backpacks.
*They get dressed and have time left over until we leave at 8:40.  When they go upstairs at 8:00, that's when I go up and finish dressing for the day.
*When we're on the road by the school going VERY SLOOOOW in the car line, either Drew reads the devotion or I do, then we talk about it and pray.  The last thing they hear every single morning is God's word.  I treasure this time alone with them in the mornings, and this routine has become my  favorite part of our morning.

This week after I drop them off, I've been coming home, having my quiet time (devotion stuff), then I've been doing my Esther homework.  I didn't mention before that when I go upstairs at 8:00, I take up a load of laundry to fold and put away.  Or at least put it in the right room, then they put it away either right then or before bedtime.  Sometimes I do it for them, if I'm feeling extra generous.  I pretty much have to do Noah's shirts, unless I want them wadded up, which I do NOT. 

They pretty much take care of their own stuff, though.  They clean their rooms and make their beds, or at least neaten them up.  They put up all their laundry (I do Noah's shirts, and I hang anything for all of them that needs to be hung), they clean off the bathroom counter every time they're in there, they take their own trash out, they help take care of all of our animals, they take out the kitchen trash occasionally, and they help me with other stuff downstairs.  We teach them that chores are an everyday part of life that we all HAVE to do every single day. 

Because, really, with 4 of them running around here, it would be never ending for me.  So when we all work together, it only takes about a half hour to get all this accomplished.  At this point in their lives, they do not receive a regular allowance.  Sometimes they do help me do extra stuff, though.  It's not a regular thing yet.  When they do chores, they do things like dust all the furniture upstairs and down, they windex all the mirrors and glass doors, they clean all the little black smudges (hand and finger prints) from around all the doors (pantry, laundry, back door), they might swiffer mop the hardwood downstairs, they empty all the trash cans, and they are responsible for the recycling bin and big garbage can on trash day.

This does not occur every week.  When it does occur, and they do these things and sometimes some other stuff, they get $5 each.  We don't MAKE them do it, it's totally optional.  At least right now.  And I don't make them clean their bathrooms.  I do that.  Because it's gross, and why would I make them do that?  I can barely stand to do it myself.  Someday I will start teaching them to do laundry.  Graham and Drew already know how to run the washer and the dryer. 

I don't know why I've gone off and written all this...I just thought I would give you a glimpse of the way my house runs.  I've been told, "I don't see how you do it."  Well, now you do.  I have awesome kids who are great at lending a helping hand.  I've made them pick up their stuff since before they even walked.  We used to sing the clean up song by Barney while they did it. There has never been a question as to who does what.  Maybe because I'm a neat freak, and I love order and organization.

Not that ALL my house is that way, but a good portion of it is. 

So you see why I've started the habit (hopefully!) of waking up so early.  Well.  I have to go get dressed.  I'm running 6 minutes behind schedule.  ;)