I was intrigued and thought I'd give it a try.
So...without further delay I present to you:
A Day In The Life of Candace...
10:30 woke up.
This is somewhat my average time to wake up although my alarms (plural) ring at 6am and 7am
I usually get up and try really really hard to at least put on some Joyce Meyer, Steve Furtick or read one of my favorite chapters in Psalms before I check my phone. It doesn't always work out the way I want it but I try. My phone wins this morning because I hear my calender alert and realize that I have a networking luncheon this morning...in less than an hour.
I creep out of bed because my baby boy is still asleep and get dressed as fast as possible. I dash down the hall to my son's father (baby daddy) room---that's an entirely different story for another day---to let him know that I needed him to watch the baby for a couple of hours. He agreed and gave me a few encouraging words before I headed out the door.
11:34 I entered Grille 116 for a networking luncheon. I was invited over two weeks ago but kept having to reschedule because of other obligations. I was excited about going and meeting some new people. The group was small and friendly. I felt like I made an impression and got some great opportunities.
I felt like I could have enjoyed it a lot better but half-way through I got a terrible tooth ache. By the time I did get into the car I could barely focus on anything else. When I got home I ran into the kitchen for the salt and water to gargle and downed two tylenol's.
I had to sleep the pain away, but when I woke up I felt much better.
2:11 I woke up from a quick cat-nap. I fed Ronnie and started on an article that I'm working on. Of course I couldn't finish it with a ten month old wanting my attention so I took him in his room for some "carpet time". His Dad came in and asked if later on we could talk. I figured it was about business since we don't just share a child and roof together we also work together and have a very good friendship.
2:27 we sat down to talk. The conversation was not what I expected to say the least. It was one of those conversations you have with someone and when you finish you realize how close you truly are. I realize that as long as you keep people at a distance you can keep them from seeing the worst parts of yourself and you keep from seeing their worst parts as well. I'm not sure how I feel about this right now because its a foreign feeling for me.
4:36 My eldest son Kenny arrives home. He got rained on a little so he comes stumping in laughing and being his silly self. He tells me about his day and goes to make himself a snack. He offers to take Ronnie off my hands for a little bit but I tell him that's okay for now:)
He usually goes down the street to get his younger brother from the bus stop but it's raining today so I go instead. I left a little late around 4:52. Me an Ronnie sat in the car until about 5: 20 because
the bus was late. He cried the majority of the time. I turned the radio up and played a game on my phone until the bus arrived.
BJ, my middle son is autistic. I still don't exactly know what that means and I don't feel like anyone does because everyone has a different definition and experience. For me autistic means different. For the most part BJ can do everything else that normal 12 year old can do, we just have to communicate differently. We chat briefly before we get out of the car about his day. I really have to pry everything out of him. Our conversations usually goes like this:
Hey "B" how was your day?Fine.
What did you do today?
Well, I ate breakfast (he tells me exactly what that is)
I ate lunch ( again, he tells me exactly what that is)
I had computer time ( his favorite thing to do)
And we went home and now I'm telling you.
Okay, so did the teacher teach you anything?
Of course she did.
And what was it.
He pauses to think for a long time. When I press him he's forgotten the question and we have to start all over again. After the third time I finally get a little piece of what he remembers.
We talk a little further and then he has his snack
6:00 p.m. Ronnie is down for a nap, Kenny and BJ are doing afternoon chores. I put on some music and finish up a blog post and confirm one on one meetings with people that I met today at the networking function.
I kick myself for all of the things I haven't done today like, spend time with God (that still hasn't happened). Have I even said good morning to God or anything for that matter. I gotta do this before I go to bed today.
I still have a whole entire list of things I need to do today and the thoughts of it all is stirring around in my head. I realize that I got to do everything that I can while Ronnie is asleep because once he's up I can only do so much. For about 2 seconds I am suddenly filled with a lot of regrets but these thoughts fade more quickly these days because I decided I will no longer live that way.
When Ronnie wakes up from his nap I feed him squash and apples. He eats half of it and falls out.
I start dinner at 7:42, tonight it's pork n beans, rice and fried chicken (a family favorite). I hook my phone up to my speaker in the kitchen and pull up a message by T. D. Jakes on YouTube. I play the first message that pops up titled: "A Breaking Point of Your Life." This message is so on point for me I cannot believe it. In the message he talks about how in relationships, business, careers...etc you may come to a breaking point but that's not the time to give up. It's very encouraging and I wish I would have listened to it earlier in my day. Maybe it would have been different.
Me and my son's father eat together and watch some Nicholas Cage movie that I don't even get to finish because Ronnie is fussy. I realize that I have an assignment due before 11 so I scarf down the rest of my dinner and fire up the lap top.
By 10:42 the dishes are done, baths are taken and clothes are out for the morning. Everyone is in bed but me and Ronnie. We're up watching re-runs of How I Met Your Mother. I'm working and he's drooling, pulling my arm and laughing. We lay down together and after about 45 minutes of him fighting it he finally falls asleep.
When I'm sure he's asleep I creep out of the bed and get me a little snack. I watch an episode of Law & Order SVU and finish up a little blogging. Its after 2am when I finally get into bed.
