Just one day

Some nights I flop into bed, literally hitting the pillow, and intentionally let out a loud sigh. I've told Keith I do it when I want to exhale the day away, and my sigh just feels like a final exclamation at end of it.

I recently had one such day. I had to record it here because I want to be able to laugh at it later.

9:15 am--Drive child #1 to the carpool meeting spot for an activity
9:30 am--Do the bi-weekly grocery run
10:30 am--Unload groceries
11:00 am--Drive child #2 to a baseball practice
11:20 am--Put away the groceries
12:00 noon--Lunch with husband and children #3, 4, and 5
1:00 pm-Drive children #3 and #4 to meet their ride to a friend's who will later get them to an evening activity (for which we offered to drive a larger carpool, we'll just be without them until the ride home)
2:00 pm--Pick up child #1 from activity
2:15-3:40 pm--Cook 3 homemade pizzas for children #1, 2, 5, and 6 for their supper and 1 pizza for children #3 and 4 to take to the potluck for their evening activity while husband and I go out for a date while we wait for the kids' activity to end.
3:45 pm--leave to pick up other kids for the carpool to the activity
4:30 pm--Drop off kids at the activity, head out for the date
4:31 pm--Van makes a very loud sputtering noise and smells strongly of exhaust--roll the windows down and head to the next town.
4:50 pm--Stop to shop because husband showed up for the date wearing a sweatshirt, athletic pants with holes in the knees, and gym shoes with no socks. He had an excuse--he returned home too late from the Y to change before we had to leave the house.
6:00 pm--Stop at a mechanic to learn the van can be driven, but there could be major engine damage driving 30 miles home. We feel we have no choice but to carry on and with over 242,000 miles is it really going to be worth the repair?
6:20-9:30 pm--Great Greek dinner, good time, dessert with a big screen TV to watch the NCAA basketball game
9:30 pm--I suggest, "Why not have AAA tow it home?" Why didn't I think of that 5 hours earlier? Husband gets the tow set up and I start calling to make new arrangements to get our 2 children home, plus another 4 in the carpool. I make a connection for the kids to be picked up at 10:30 and my child #6 to pick up #3 and 4 at the carpool spot and then get us from the auto shop to which we will be towed.
10:20 pm--Tow truck arrives
10:40 pm--We pass the event where the kids are supposedly finished
11:00 pm--We pass the meeting spot where we see #6 parked and waiting
11:05 pm--Mom who arranged the pick up of the kids calls me to say her son got there, picked up his sister and was told he didn't need to get anyone else, and he left the other 5 there, and was that right? NO, GO GET THE OTHER 5 KIDS, please.
11:07 pm--Child #3 calls, "Mom did you forget us?" Explain the situation. Ride is on the way.
11:10 pm--The mom calls to say the son was only 5 minutes away and is turning back.
11:12 pm--I call the number from which Child #3 called to deliver the message that the ride should be there any minute--shows up while we're talking.
11:15 pm--Call child #6 and tell him to come pick us up at the auto shop.
11:35 pm--Leave the auto shop and head back to the carpool meeting spot.
11:45 pm--Car full of happy kids arrives but one is missing a parent to pick him up. "S___, is your mom coming?" "Oh, I guess I should call her."
11:50 pm--Confirm that S___'s mother is coming and leave him with the carpool driver.
12:15 am--Head hits the pillow with a loud sigh.

Sighhhhhhh!