6:00 am – Alarm sounds

6:09 am – Snooze

6:18 am – Snooze

6:27 am – Why didn’t I get up 27 minutes ago? I could have squeezed in a work out.

6:28 am – What time did Eliza sneak in here? How does a three year old manage to take up so much room in a king sized bed?

6:29 am – Was the Temperpedic mattress a good investment? Chalking my back pain up to Eliza’s perpendicular sleeping positioning, the shih-tzu poodle curled up on my pillow, and you know, the joys of getting older.

6:55 am – What was I thinking when I chose this outfit last night? Back to the drawing board.

7:15 am – I packed lunches for the rest of my family last night, why didn’t I pack mine?

8:00 am – How did I get so lucky to have free garage parking in Hartford? I guess that’s one perk of “15 years of service”.  Yikes, that’s a bittersweet pill to swallow this early in the morning.

10:00 am – Is this a pre-meeting, meeting or a post-meeting, meeting?  OR is this a meeting that should have been an email?

11:30 am – Why am I surprised that I’m not in the mood to eat anything the cafeteria is offering? More lunch packing regret.

2:00 pm – Should I have more caffeine? Eh.

2:30 pm – More caffeine? Yes.

4:00 pm – Do I really need to come back here tomorrow?

4:30 pm – How was your day?

Noah: Fine.  Why are you here so early?

Zac: Fine.  Why are you here so late?

Eliza: Mommy, I missed you.  You are my best friend…..Do you have any snacks?

5:00 pm – What do you want for dinner?

5:02 pm – Guys, what do you want for dinner?

5:03 pm – Can anyone hear me? Grilled cheese, chicken, and veggies all around!

5:04 pm – Can we have candy? No.  Can we have gum?  NO.  Can we have a snack?  NOOOO!

5:30 pm – Do you need any of these crumpled papers in your back pack? Oh, you do?  Funny, it all looks like utter garbage to me.

5:45 pm – Did you finish your homework in aftercare? (Aftercare, I heart you!)

6:00 pm – Mommy? Mommy?  Come here.  I don’t hear your feet.  Mommy!!!

6:15 pm – Why can’t these dishes wash themselves? Sigh.  Just get it done.  Future Anissa will thank you.

6:20 pm – Can you please watch something else besides another episode of Good Luck, Charlie?

6:25 pm – Why do you insist on chewing your shirt?

6:30 pm– Do you need help in the bathroom, Eliza?  No, I’m a big girl.

::Ok. Sits down for the first time since arriving home::

Mommy, I need help!!!

6:35 pm – Do you think the couch is gymnastics equipment?

6:40 pm – Why is your sister crying?

6:44 pm – Can you NOT?!?!

6:45 pm – When will Matt be home?

7:00 pm – Calling Matt…When are you coming home?

7:15 pm – Daddy’s home! Why are you so late?  (Standard response:  I was working.)

7:45 pm – Are we reading that book again?

7:50 pm – Can the boys breathe while underneath all those stuffed animals?

8:00 pm – Eliza, are you going to sleep in your bed tonight?  Yes…..BUT I’ll miss you Mommy so I will come sleep in your bed  if I need to – OK?

At this point, if I’m lucky, my motherly duties for the day are done.  And if you’re lucky, you don’t need anything from me because there is absolutely nothing left for me to give.

Some days are better.  Some days are worse.  All these days are a good place to be.