Just Do It

I had a co-worker come into my classroom the other day and sit down and start talking with me about "Things" as of late.

By the way, working on week 3 of being back at work and counting down the days until our next day off!

ANYWAY, this person comes in and starts asking me all sorts of questions and we're chatting and I'm reserved because I don't really trust a lot of my co-workers because usually what is said to person A ends up being told to persons B, C, and D and if I wanted all of those people to know my business I would just tell them.  But, again, I digress.  So, we're chatting and my co-worker is asking how everything works with all four kids and getting them where they need go, etc. and they ended the conversation with, "I just don't know how you do it.  Seriously."

And then my head exploded because I hate that phrase.

No, seriously though, I know people mean it in a kind and somewhat complimentary way but I can't freaking stand it when they say, "I don't know how you manage with 4 kids." Or "I don't know how you do X, Y, and Z and have all those kids."  OR anything that sounds even remotely like that.

Because, you know, 4 kids and managing to wipe your ass and put your hair in a ponytail is a feat for even the weakest. 

And it is. 

And it has been for me, at times.

How do I do it?  I don't know.  I just do.  I'm not doing anything more than the mom of one or two kids.  I'm not making mountains move each morning. 

I'm doing what needs to be done and sometimes a little bit more.  And a lot of days, I don't even think I'm doing it that well.

Isn't that what we're all doing?

I get up and sometimes I go to the gym for 5am and sometimes I don't.  I ALWAYS make coffee because as much as I love me lots of Starbucks, our bank account can't afford it the way in which I've become accustomed.  I shower, most days- especially after going to the gym.  I get my kids up and at this point my husband is up, too.  He usually gets the babies going while I'm shouting at my 6 year old to put down GD iPhone, stop beating my score on Temple Run and GET DRESSED!  My 4 year old is, at this point, back in bed fully dressed and begging for someone to PLEASE JUST TURN THE LIGHTS OFF I WANT TO SLEEP.  And if I have on pants, I'm lucky.  But by 6:25am we are out the door and on our way. 

Because it's what needs to be done.  It's what we want, for the most part.  If I weren't going to work and we lived 40 minutes closer, I'd be a tad bit happier.  But we just do it.  There isn't something amazing about it.

Or is there?

I don't like it when people say to me, "I don't know how you do it." because the answer for me is quite simple, I just do.  But at points, even when there was only one baby and two adults and we weren't outnumbered, I have no idea how I did it.  Some days, getting out of bed was and is too much for me.  And for a lot of people with and without kids.

I don't know how a lot of other people with far greater struggles do it.  But they do.

And I'm pretty sure that's all that matters.