One More Time

I do not want to do this my heart does say

My brain says otherwise on this day

Get up, get dressed, wake the kids,

Pack the lunches, sign the papers

Load them in the car, drop them off where they belong

All routine, all so simple, every school day is the same.

Back home to get the little one ready,

Pack his bag and take him too.

It’s the best for him to go today

After he’s dropped and my chores are through I sigh and know there is more to do.

Back home I help him back up his things,

The boxes are checked the list complete.

The minutes tick by

 I wish for them to slow down as we pass our words of love around.

His things are loaded in the car

One last check of the list

The time has come

Pick up the kids a little early

try to enjoy a little ice crem

 a special treat on this Friday.

hearts are heavy

We pay the bill and continue the journey

We drop him at the airport

We walk inside and hug goodbye a curb drop off will not do

The tears run down my cheeks as the kids faces look incomplete

One will cry

One will ask why

They do not understand

Looks of concern hide in their eyes

We give those last hugs, we don’t want to let go

The countdown begins til he comes home.

I’ve done it before I can do it again.

I put on my brave face as he turns one way and us the other.

Return to the parking lot, get in the car

(Ben forgets his phone...

Beau saves the day with a sprint back inside)

Home to make dinner and start the weekend.

(It takes two hours in traffic and one stop at a shady Kroger)

One day at a time, one meal at a time, one task at a time.

Dry the tears mine and theirs,

Feed their stomachs and their hearts

I can do this my heart will say it hurts like hell but there is no other way

He’ll come home my brain tells me too

And until that time I know what to do.

Pray hard, love hard, try hard, it is hard

 it is my life, my gift from God and through His grace

His will be done.