Choose Joy: Chaos

There is nothing more still than a pool waiting for a meet or practice to start. I remember those cold winter mornings at 5:30AM when I would be the first to dive in.
Pure peace. I chose this photo as it accomplishes two things: represents an activity of today and is the complete antithesis of my life, today.
This is a photo of complete calm. Today was chaos.

I have little doubt that many of the adults who populate my life think I'm crazy; or, my life is crazy. With four active kids there is always something going on. Today was one of those over-the-top days where joy is chosen otherwise you'd just have to fall over exhausted or be just plain cranky!

Take a deep breath. This was my day today:

• Took Claire to school for 7:30AM
• Home and fed the other kids breakfast, signed agendas and packed lunches.
• Took kids to their school for 8:40AM
• Back home, checked mail, watched Louis get frustrated with his laptop and iPod!
• Back to school where I managed to sort the primary lost and found; helped (with four other ladies) sorting and alphabetizing the Christmas wreath order; got "run over" by youngest son giving big hugs in hallway; watched Chloe's "dress rehearsal"; got a great big hug from elder son; left note for absent vice principal; spoke with secretary about the upcoming yearbook (I'm organizing with another parent!); said "hi" and "bye" to a bunch of parents and teachers.
• Came home and had lunch
• Organized that Claire would be collected from school by Aeli (one of her classmates mums) after their return from SAC (swim meet) with plans for me to pick her up on our way home at 8:45PM
• Wrote a bit, sorted a bit, planned a bit, e-mailed a bit, facebooked a bit and laundried a bit
• Packed up both boys hockey bags and rink activities for Chloe and loaded the truck
  
• I collected Cole and Chloe and Louis collected Caden from school at 3:15PM
• Louis took Caden to his hockey practice on the other side of town for 4:00PM which ended at 5:30PM
• I took Cole to his practice at another hockey rink (fortunately the same other side of town) until 6:15PM
• Louis dropped Caden off at Cole's rink so he could head off to the MOHA (hockey league) Town Hall meeting for 7PM
• Once practice #1 was over, I then took Cole to another rink for another team practice until 8:30PM
• Chloe and Caden made life as lively as possible for the entire time we were at the second rink - Caden's third of the day! Can I just say thank goodness for Nintendo? and books? And patient parents who, like me, have "been there, done that"
• As always Cole was one of the last out of the change room
• We collected Claire at 8:45PM on our way home (oh, she came in 1st in butterfly and back and 2nd in breast - way to go, Bear!)
  
• All of the kids were in bed for 9PM.

I am sitting here writing this entry, waiting for Louis to fill me in on the meeting and sipping a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Not a typical day, but a day where I had to find the joy in it rather than the joy finding me.

The highlight? Seeing so many of our friends and acquaintances in various places - mostly rinks; knowing I have friends I can depend on to treat my child like she were their own; watching my children thrive doing activities they love.

We are so privileged to live this life we have, as chaotic as it is.

Today I chose joy and embraced chaos.