good better best

I was about twelve when the autograph book craze hit my school. I loved my autograph book! Girls would write in it dainty rhymes about, well, having babies. Cut us some slack -- it was the early 60s after all. "When you are old and have eight or nine, bundle them up and come out to see mine!"  Or about boys: "2 young 2 go 4 boys!" Boys would write in your book, but mostly braggy things about themselves. One English boy (the one who was my first crush) wrote "I'm the centre of the theatre!" Clever, but braggy. And then there was one written by my more brainy friend: "good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better best." You do not structure your life by what someone wrote in your kid autograph book, but I cannot tell you how many times I have thought of this line over the course of my life. Including this week.

My first morning of getting the kids up, fed and ready for school was good enough. I mean, everyone ate something and dressed appropriately for the weather and got to school. But it was rough around the edges. Improvements were needed! Yesterday, things were better. Baths were spread throughout the day giving me more time. Lunches and backpacks were put in car before the kids were even up. It was a smoother run, but still, we were one minute too late!

Today, I tweaked some more. Kids had a better night's sleep. Clothes were carefully inspected for the fit -- socks not too bulky, pants for the most part staying up on Sparrow (though honestly, nothing fits that tall hip-less boy, absolutely nothing!). All laid out and ready. They ate a reasonably leisurely and reasonably wholesome breakfast together. And at 7:25 I said -- "time for the car!" and away we went, arriving at the school at 7:35. We watched Snowdrop go in at 7:36. A personal best for us!

I whooped up a (very loud) cheer as we drove up!

You can get used to a lot in life. Being in charge of three little ones for all these days seemed daunting in the months leading up to it. Less so this morning. A few photos for the record!

Breakfast games between brothers:

Happy eater:

"Look what I found!"

Tumbling around:

"Here, let me bring him over to you!"

In a daredevil moment I decided we had a minute for a group photo. I mean, after all those days with them, I just have to do a timed release! But, the clock was ticking and so I put the camera in the only obvious spot -- on top of the garbage can. We are standing underneath a beautiful maple, but of course, the color is way up high. Our background is... less interesting. And it's not even our car!! But, no time! One chance at a photo -- I'll grab it!

When you are holding onto packs, jackets, toddlers and who knows what else, and the camera is dangling from your neck, chances are not low that you will accidentally trigger a preset or a filter. I did just that! The next two photos are extra colorful!

The boys, waiting for their school to open:

And then I am back at the farmhouse. Breakfast, with Ed.

(Pears, picked from our youngest pear tree)

In the early afternoon, I pick up Snowdrop. We are now officially on schedule. The parents are driving back from Chicago's airport as we speak. They will all be reunited after the boys are done with school. But in the meantime, Snowdrop is with me.

I should not be surprised that she remembers something we saw yesterday when driving to pick up her brothers: the World Dairy Expo is in town.

Ah, the World Dairy Expo. I used to call it the Cow Show for her when, before the pandemic, she and I would explore its offerings. Every year, from the time she was just one. Cows, beautiful cows on display. Ice cream to sample. Stuffie cows to bring home. And now she tells me: let's go!

Whoa, wait a minute. We need to go home. Have a snack. Clean up. Read a book. Find out the hours. Buy a ticket. 

We do all that. And she climbs her tree, with a cow purchased at one of the earlier expos. 

And then we head out, parking the car by the boys' school and walking from there. For the cows.

Take a photos of these! But all I see is their rear ends! I love the udders!

And for the gift shop, because what she and Sparrow and Sandpiper need is another little stuffed cow.

And for the ice cream. (You know, it's my 7.75 birthday! We can celebrate!)

Wait! No more ice cream? You sold out of ice cream? At a dairy expo you sold out of ice cream??

Well, there's the option of fudge. We pick up some fudge and walk over to the arena where the competitions are taking place.

And then we walk all the way back to the boys' school, tired but so happy to have continued a tradition that was suspended for three years. 

Their dad is there, waiting. I leave them all and return home, a quiet home, a home I love so much! But my, it's so quiet here!

And I do think back to the chaos and adrenaline rush of the past four days. What a fantastic challenge! How beautiful to have had this time with the three of them. Snowdrop said the other day -- gaga, you are getting to be so gray! Maybe, but it's a happy gray!

With so much love...