A Day In The Life

5am. The youngest member of the household, the fair and hungry Liam, greets the thin bands of sunlight just beginning to filter through his blinds with a perfectly executed high "C". Simultaneously impressed with her son's perfect pitch and disgruntled at being so shockingly aroused from a deep, dreamless sleep, Tree jabs her husband (who is either deaf or pretending to be deaf) in the ribs.

The day starts the same each morning, and unfailingly accelerates with impressive vigour as the six members of the household shower, dress, eat breakfast, and prepare for school, daycare, and/or work. By the time 7am hits, the cacophony of noise has achieved ear-splitting proportions.

In those two hours between wakening and piling unceremoniously into the car, this family barely has a moment to breathe. Somehow, though...somehow they manage to sneak in a few hugs and kisses, several I love you's and a generous helping of laughter.

Faces may not be spotless, homework may be forgotten on the kitchen table, and milk may remain puddled on the floor, but these people leave with something more important than those small details: they leave with security. With love. With connection.

Until they pile through the door again, each person's day is separate from the other's. But somehow, they remain connected.

Evenings are just as crazy. Dinner is prepared and consumed, messes are cleaned up (or, more often, swept to the side), homework is tackled, visiting friends of the children's are entertained or turned away with the promise of a future playdate. Baths are given, stories are read, teeth are brushed...and if all goes well, the adults of the household are treated to a couple of hours of time to themselves. Time which is often occupied with the preparation of lunches, the folding of laundry, and the loading of the dishwasher.

If this daily routine isn't enough, imagine the unexpected events which further exacerbate an already very busy existence for this family. The daycare worker complains of chest pains and spends a day in the hospital. The car threatens to break down. The guy from Weed Man shows up for an appointment which has been completely forgotten by Jim and Tree. Caleb needs to go to baseball practice. Jeff and Jim have a baseball game. Tree, who moonlights as a psychic medium, has a reading to do.

And somebody is always sick...or needs to go to the dentist...or needs new shoes.

And every night after supper, Tree picks up her flute and plays every song she knows. Liam sits at her feet, swaying to the music, his face upturned, smiling.

Caleb constructs nonsensical jokes, and coincidentally makes everyone laugh.

Aidan dances for the baby to get him to stop crying. If his efforts are unsuccessful, he offers him his soother, or gives him crackers, or kisses him lightly on the cheek, patting his head gently.

Jim grabs Tree and holds her tightly, saying "I love you so much" so many times a day, but it always feels like the first time.

Jeff sits down with Caleb and helps him with his homework. Then he teaches him something that isn't in his books. About the universe. About stars. About how wonderful it feels to learn.

And at the end of the day, when exhausted heads meet welcoming pillows, and quiet fills the house, the chaos is all so, so worth it.