The Pursuit of Happyness

Today was the first day for Maisy and Charlie to start school. Last night I stayed up preparing everything to try to make the morning go smoothly. So Finally I crash into bed last night. I actually get 6 hours of sleep which is a miracle! So at 5:00 am our daughter wakes up screaming at our cat Snowball to get out of her room. Somehow I know Snowball got the hint, because then she is just screaming that she wants her Mommy. I could feel my husband move, so I knew he was awake, so I tell him it is his turn. He says he is not going to get up because he wants her to stay in her own room. There is quiet and I am wondering if she actually did fall back asleep. Then at 5:30 am she comes into our room. Finally I see her doze off to sleep. Then at 6:00 am, I hear our baby needing to be fed. So I get up and get him fed, load the dishwasher, switch the clothes from the washer to the dryer, take the trash to the top of the driveway, make breakfast for the children. Then my husband comes downstairs wanting to know what furniture I want him to load to take to Arkansas. I am thinking, shouldn't you have done this last night. So I go over the list I have now given him 3 times, and he replies that he cannot lift the couch,etc by himself. So I go over lift up half of the couch and the fishtank, popcorn machine, etc. No problem. I am starting to sweat and I don't have time for a shower now. So I wake the kids up to tell them to get dressed and go down for their breakfast that I had made. I then give myself a washcloth bath and put my hair in a bun since I haven't had time to do it. Throw on a suit and some fake pearls just to look like I am put together. Go back down, make sure their backpacks are packed and snacks. Get our 3 year old dressed and have her eating her oatmeal that she always eats, then my husband makes a comment about there being too much sugar on it. Tells our daughter she doesn't like, to which she then tells me she doesn't like it like that and then refuses to eat it. If he wanted to gripe about the amount of sugar on it, he could have made it himself or else keep his mouth shut. Then carry everything for 2 younger kids that are starting school today to the car. Finally get them in the car, then all of the sudden my husband finally asks if I need help. I tell him to get Snowball into the box for me. He gets Snowball into the box and in the car. Then Snowball escapes from the box and out of the car. Me and children try to catch Snowball. Finally catch Snowball and then put him in a broken Rubbermaid that hopefully he can't get out of but can still breathe due to all the cracks in it. Get him to car, the Rubbermaid is too big and one of the seats needs to be put down. Snowball then escapes again. The bus comes and the 2 older kids almost miss it because they were helping look for the cat. Luckily they make the bus despite the driver closing his door and almost driving off. I give up on Snowball and take the 2 younger kids to school. I have 2 kids and 4 bags to carry in. So I just take the kids thinking it will be easier to come back. I forget the code to the door and am standing there waiting and waiting for someone to let us in. Finally get in and then the 2 rooms are clear across the room from each other. Drop off one kid and then hike across campus to the other child's room. Then hike back to car to get bags. Drop off bag at first class, hike across campus to other class. Make up the baby's crib, set out his bottles, and diapers, etc. He is in a little bouncy chair laughing and being so cute. I am so sad I am leaving him to play there. Finally tear myself away and hike back to car. Drive back to house and jump down in ditch to look in a drainage pipe to see if I can find Snowball. Hike around 1 acre wooded yard, still can't find Snowball. Try to go into house thinking maybe he'll come out if he doesn't think I am looking for him. Still no Snowball. Finally I give up and head to work at 9:30, knowing now I am not going to get lunch, going to have the reschedule Snowball's appointment to whenever the Vet can get him in next despite our leather furniture our husband is bringing back tonight. On my drive to work I drive by Riverwalk and there are all these smiling, cute, in shape people running along and I want to pull over and ask, "What do you do, and How do I do it?".