It's a good thing I have 10 months!

24. Make it to the bus stop one day without raising my voice EVEN ONE TIME.

When I made my list last week I was afraid of having too many difficult things on it.  Some things would be easy (if I just make the time) and some take a lot of time and determination.  I wanted a good mixture so that I was sure I could get to all of them.

Who would have thought that the most difficult one so far is # 24???

  Over the last five years I have put measures in place to minimize the amount of things we can stress over in the morning.  We pick out our clothes at night.  We shower, check backpacks, sign agendas and fill out permission slips all at night. All that is left in the morning is to get dressed, eat breakfast and get to the bus stop by 7:26.  Not a minute later. 

The process is simple: wake at 6:40.  Breakfast starts by 6:44.  Finish breakfast by 7:00 (when the Today show opening music comes on) and go get dressed.  If it is a nice day, walk to the bus stop at 7:18.  If it is cold/rainy leave by 7:22.  That gives us 42 minutes to get from the bed to the bus stop.  In my mind, this should NOT be difficult.  What could there possibly be to yell about???

So, take this morning.  Alarm goes off, and I go to wake up Caroline. 

Me: "Time to get up."
Caroline: "No it's not!" 
Me: "It is 6:40." 
Caroline :"NO- it is only 5:40."

I look at her clock, and it says 5:40!  This sends me racing back to my room to look at my clock, which of course, reads 6:40.  I have to take her downstairs to show her the time on the news to convince her.  And by this time it is 6:44, and we are behind schedule. 

Breakfast is Pop-tarts (another proactive attempt against being late- what is not done in time can always be tucked into a backpack for later). As we hear the Today show coming on in the background the kids start to head upstairs, and I am relieved- we are back on schedule. 

Caroline: "Wait!!!! That is the guy with the good voice from YouTube!  I want to see him"
Maggie:  "Me too!!!"

So my eyes roll as they watch the formerly homeless guy with the golden pipes announce in the Today show. I am listening to the story of how they found this guy when I realize it is now 7:06!  Trying not to raise my voice, I calmly say "Girls.  Upstairs and dressed NOW."  Thank goodness we picked out clothes the night before.

Caroline comes back down 5 minutes later in her pjs.  "I need a permission slip to stay for play practice. And ASP money.  Maggie does too."

Ugh. Now not only are they behind, I am too.  I go upstairs to get paper to write on, and I pass Maggie's room- pants thrown ALL over the floor, and her nowhere in sight. 

Firm but still calm. "Maggie, what are you doing?" 
Maggie: "Finding my sneakers.  I have PE today." 
Me: "What happened to your room?"
Maggie: "The pants I picked out wouldn't snap."

Hmmmm...... Maybe I should have them try on their clothes before they go to bed at night?  Could this have saved us 5 minutes today?  As I get downstairs I look at the clock on the TV. 7:21  One minute!!!!

I call up the stairs, "Girls! We have to leave!" Technically I am not yelling, since they are upstairs and they have to hear me.  I hear Maggie crying.  They come running down the stairs, and I look at Maggie.  She has on jeans with holes in both knees, and no shoes. 

Now, for those who know her, she is a very slow growing child. She can still fit in everything she has owned since she was 4.  She is also the second girl in our family, so she owns enough clothes and shoes to dress a small village.  The fact that this is what this child has chosen to wear to school, and is BAREFOOT no less was enough to put me over the edge.

"MAGGIE ROSE- WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU HAVE ON????????"

I guess we will try for #24 again tomorrow.

(And as a P.S., her sneakers were found under her sink in her bathroom and were thrown into the car with her at 7:25.  She ran to the bus with one shoe on and one still in her hand.)