Quiet of the morning

I sit here in the brief quiet time of my day. I can't get enough of this peaceful time. I awake no later than 7 am just to have an hour or 2 of quiet to myself. Time to catch up on my blog reading or to catch up on my magazines or the paper. This morning I caught up on my favorite blogs and realized that at this late hour, 10 AM the kids are still asleep and I've stretched this quiet time out longer than I thought possible. I am thankful for this time and yet I know all too shortly the mornings will be hectic again with school approaching much faster than I think it should

Just a few short weeks ago I was apprehensive about the upcoming summer months and having the kids home 24/7. The fear is usually worse than the reality of it all. We have slipped into a comfortable rhythm of the kids sleeping late and my rising early to enjoy the peace. Brandon has been waking and easing into his day. I'm thankful for this also as he wakes with a smile and a hearty good morning and retreats to the living room and entertains himself with reading or a game until he is ready for his breakfast. He has a routine that I've come to appreciate he and his cousin play most every afternoon and into the early evening. They do tend to get loud from time to time and they have their fights but all in all they play well together.

Nickie has been going to summer school this year more for the socialization than for the academics. She loves school and it will be tough for her next week since summer school ends tomorrow. I have to come up with outings for both Nickie and Brandon that will keep us out of the horrible heat wave we have been having. The last few days have had a heat index of 103 or there abouts. I have feared heat stroke from the short walk from the house to the van and vise versa. I thank God for the brilliant person that invented air conditioning.

Jackie has been sleeping till noon or later and with the moodiness she has been presenting lately I don't even think of waking her at all. It seems there is nothing that I do that is enough. She can't seem to follow simple instructions and the roll of the eyes that I receive at least a dozen times a day is getting really old. She stays in her room or out with her cousins or friends as much as possible and I completely understand why God made teenagers this way. It surely makes the preparation for the departure from the nest much easier on both parties involved. Bob and I look towards that day with longing on some days and Lord knows she does as well. We must be the worst parents in the world! We feed and clothe her we love her and protect her and somehow that translates to mean and overbearing. Wait, I had a flash back to my parents the scenario was similar and yet they were mean and overbearing, we are not.

Well the quiet is over now and I have been summoned to prepare breakfast for the prince. Good day!