A day in the life of this writing mom (in summer)

It’s July, and of course this means that all of my children are home with me every day due to summer break from school.

I actually love summer.  I really do.  I’m a Native Texan, and I’m accustomed to the heat (it’s crazy but I honestly prefer our hot summers to winter, any day) and I also really enjoy the quality time with my kids.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, it isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, of course.  My kids do their fair share (and then some) of fighting, whining and pressing on my nerves.  BUT there are times that feel like pure magic, too.  Like when they all line up at the pool and jump in together, laughing after coming up from the water.  Or when I watch them all play duck-duck-goose on the trampoline.  Or when I hear them telling jokes to one another, and hear the belly laughs that come with each (the boys are always joking about poop. And more poop. These jokes never get old to them.)

So. How do I fit my writing life into this busy summer life with my kids?

This morning, like every other these days, began with a child asking for breakfast.  “Crawl into bed with me, Marian, and snuggle a while,” I said to my nearly-3-year-old, hoping for a few more minutes of sleep. She wasn’t having it. “Mommy, look outside, it’s morning and we need breakfast,” she said.  Sigh. Up I got, and right away I began helping my half-dozen to their choice of either cereal or oatmeal.

Coffee is always my next priority (who am I kidding - first priority) after feeding kids breakfast.  I can’t even begin to think about writing, or housework, or taking my kids to play before I’ve had my fill of caffeine.

So this morning, after breakfast, and after two cups of delicious, ever-satisfying coffee, I decided I was going to get some writing in.

Now, here is a truth I have no shame in – sometimes I let Netflix help me out with my kids so I can write. (Or just so I can get a dang break every once in a while.)  SO, this morning, Netflix was on, kids were fed, and I escaped to my desk.  I put on some Pandora, opened up the blinds to the windows behind my desk and pulled up my current work-in-progress.  This absolutely is NOT the norm, but words started to flow immediately.  One new paragraph led to two.  Two new paragraphs led to finishing a chapter.  It was nice!  Until, of course, an inevitable interruption came in the form of “MOMMY! Barrett won’t play with me,” my daughter Marian said, walking up with her arms crossed and lips pouted out.  Said sibling followed shortly behind her. “Mommy, I will play, but she doesn’t want to play sharks and I do!”

Sigh. Hands off keyboard.  Resolve this silly issue. Swivel my chair back to my computer, re-read what I just wrote, try to get in the groove again.

And then.  Another stop.  This time, my 5-year-old. “Mom, I’m hungry.”  Seriously?  “You just ate breakfast, buddy. Give it a little while and then I’ll come out and give you all a snack.”

This continued on.  I’d write two sentences, get interrupted.  Write another paragraph, stop because the two year old needed help wiping after the potty (parenting is oh-so-glamourous, you know?)

You might be thinking that at this point I would be very frustrated, but the truth is, today I wasn’t.  I expect the interruptions now.  It’s unrealistic to think I could seriously have a couple of quiet writing hours to myself with six kids at home.  I’ve become more and more patient with each day of parenting and writing, that’s for sure. I still need lessons in patience though.  And I’m still receiving them, and predict I will for the remainder of my parenting life.

The interruptions today, they didn’t annoy me.  They amused me.  I couldn’t help but laugh when I finally decided I was finished with book 4 for the day, saved my work and got up from my desk.  I was amused enough to write a blog post about it, so here I am.

Fun fact and another example of how I write with my kids – I wrote the majority of this blog post while at the pool today.  After my husband came home from work we took the half-dozen to our neighborhood pool.  I sat in a lounge chair with my notebook and scribbled the majority of these thoughts down.  I’m blessed – my husband has no problem being in the pool with all of the kids. He is a SuperDad, for sure.

Writing at the pool today

I didn’t spend all of my pool time writing.  I got in the water and played with my kids.  Then, upon returning home from swimming, I immediately sat down to transfer my words from notebook to computer as my husband started dinner (did I tell you he’s a SuperDad? He’s a SuperHusband, too. I don’t take for granted what a good man he is.)  Marian came and sat on my lap.  Of course.  I can’t have an easy writing time, not yet, anyway.

Marian, on my lap as I'm typing, of course

But it’s all good with me.  This is how I’m getting it done, even in summer, with all of my kids home.

School begins next month (!!!) and I’ll have FOUR in school, one in pre-school two days a week half a day, and one at home full time with me.  It will be easier to get writing in, for sure.

But for now, this is how I’m doing it, and I’m soaking it all in.  All of it.  If there is anything I’ve learned so far in 9 years of parenting it’s that it all goes at lightning speed.  One day I’ll have plenty of quiet writing time and I KNOW I will miss this.  I know I will.

So, no complaints, not for the moment anyway.  God gave me this life.  The kids, the desire to write, all of it.  I only hope to glorify Him with all of it.

Until next time . . .