Life is like a game, or is it a box of chocolate?

Blogging from Bruce
August 25, 2008

Vonda Keon


I’m going to fling a little ‘Forest Gump’ you. Instead of chocolate, I think life is like a game of baseball. Sometimes you are running the bases, sometimes you are sliding in home, and other times it throws you curve balls. I have no clue what position I am playing in my ball game. Or maybe I am in the army and I am the drill sergeant.
I feel like the umpire at times during homework and then later on when its shower time. The 3 girls all seem to want to take their showers at the same time and that’s not happening in a house with 2 showers and one hot water heater. So after being late for a couple of things over the weekend due to everyone messing around and not getting ready on time, the drill sergeant has resorted to making out a schedule and hanging it in the hall by the bathroom door.
This isn’t just any old schedule. This is a 2 foot by 4 foot dry erase board on which I have written with a permanent sharpie the schedule I have chosen for my daughter and the two exchange students. They will be ready for dorm life in college by the time this school year is over. It has all sorts of things on. Dance schedule, voice schedule, homework time, shower time, bed time, computer/TV time, miscellaneous chores and the all important ‘clean up your room and do your laundry’ time.
Laundry baskets have been issued and lessons have been given on how to use the washer and dryer. That lesson came after they all decided their jeans needed washing at 11pm on Sunday night and they forgot to tell me. So I didn’t get the wet jeans into the dryer until Monday morning at 6:30. They all had to wear slightly damp jeans to school that day. I have noticed that they are all better about doing their laundry well in advance this week.
The bed time is the biggest hurdle. I have to get up at 5 AM most mornings and be on my way to work before they are dressed for school. I start banging on bedroom doors at 6. They are all usually eating breakfast or getting dressed for school when I leave. But after I get to work I call because I still worry that someone just laid back down for a quick snooze and then missed going to school.
In talking with Ji Eun and Ping, they tell me that in their countries, they go to school for 10 hours a day. And it’s pretty much a year round thing. Staying up late is not a big deal to them while in the conservative south we tend to try and get our kids in the bed by 10 so they can get the required hours of sleep a growing healthy teenager needs. Oh who am I kidding! I want the kids asleep because I personally need the peace and quiet and sleep.
Lack of sleep is my curve ball in this new game I am in. So whether I am the umpire or the drill sergeant, life is still a game, I still don’t know my position is and like ole Forrest Gump, I’m going to go and get me a box of chocolate and see what turns up.