Expecting

Sometimes in life you get exactly what you think you're going to get.  Sometimes you don't.  

I'm a planner, people.  I look at the landscape and figure out exactly how the ride is going to run.  I take it all in and figure it all out before it actually happens.  That's just the way I am.  I know what I'm getting into before I get going.

And then sometimes the landscape isn't what I think it'll be.  Sometimes, I find myself in a glorious oasis.

I have a job now.  A full time job.  I'm an aide at my kids' school.  I have to be at the drop-off line at 7:30am.  That's not so bad.  I had to have Little Lou at school by 7:45 last year.  Sounds like it wouldn't be much of a change, right?  Except.  Stinky's daycare isn't right down the road.  It's not even in the same town as the school.  It's not in the town where we live, either.  It's 15 minutes in the opposite direction from school.  Fifteen minutes there, fifteen minutes back to school.  Add in time to actually drop him off and my required "buffer zone" just in case, and we need to leave the house by 6:30am.

Have you ever had to get 3 kids up and ready by 6:30am?  I mean, every once in a while it's not a big deal, but every day?  Dreadful.

Or so I thought.

There I go expecting.

Friends, it does us good, sometimes, to expect the unexpected.

This

has become my absolute favorite time of day with my kids!  

(Don't judge the seat belts, people.  We were sitting still in the driveway.)

My kids have been early morning rockstars!  I was DREADING mornings.  How will we have time for breakfast?  How will I wrestle them into clothes?  How many meltdowns will we have each day?  But those kids up there?  They've got this thing down!  Most every day, 1 or 2 or all 3 are up on their own by 5:45.  They've eaten breakfast at the table every single morning!  

And on the way?  Not a single meltdown.  Not one.  Instead, we sing and talk and laugh, every. single. morning.  We start our days smiling.  We are all kind and blissfully in love with life.  Every. single. morning.

Friends, expect the unexpected.  Sometimes, when you are busy making plans for what your life's going to look like, life will surprise you.  Sometimes the things you expect to be horrible turn out to be a breathe of fresh air.  Sometimes you fall a little bit more in love with your life and your family every. single. day.

Expect the unexpected!