Welcome to my very own Creative Writing Month where each day of the month I am focusing on a topic and spending fifteen minutes reflecting and writing as inspired by the topic. For more information about why and how check out my post, Writing Down the Bones.
*This weekend I spent some time away at the annual FCA Fall Retreat which I organize along with other local FCA Leaders and volunteers. Due to my lack of wifi I will be posting twice today to get caught up.
Today’s topic: Write about your morning routine. Create a story surrounding these ideas.
At eight o’clock this morning I awoke to mumbles and groans. My three year old daughter was groggy and shouting, “Mommy, my belly hurts.”
I rushed to her aid, swept her into my arms, and quickly carried her to the bathroom where she could get sick without ruining bed sheets or carpet. I absolutely hate when my daughter is sick. She loses all of her energy and personality and is overcome by a zombie-like coma.
After a dramatic beginning to the morning she took up residence on the couch. I granted her request to watch some of her favorite cartoons on Netflix and after providing her with some light foods and water I began my usual morning routine beside her on the couch.
It’s funny to say routine, because I don’t get the luxury of starting my day the same way twice. However, if I did have control over how each day started there would be a couple of things I would be sure to do each day. For one, I’d start each day with a pot of coffee. Not a cup, but a pot. And in a perfect world no one would speak to me and I’d have no responsibilities until the entire pot was gone. However, this world is not perfect and that has happened twice in my life. I do have coffee at some point just about every morning.
Next, I have some quiet Bible Study and prayer time. The best days include some type of Bible Study even if it is only five minutes. I like to go through studies from apps like First5 and SheReadsTruth. Neither of these take too long, but are really well-written, relate-able, and life-changing.
After my Bible Study time I login to my AmeriBritMom site and check all emails. I reply to emails, send some out, and then check out my WordPress feed where I am able to communicate with my fellow writers and find inspiration. After catching up with those people I follow regularly I begin working on whatever post I plan to release for the day. That could be one I started a few days ago which just needs edited or on some days when I am less organized I have about thirty minutes to write, edit, and produce my post.
Once my coffee, Bible Study, and blogging are done I am free to live my day. I find that when my mornings contain all three of these activities that I am more energized and I find purpose in each day more clearly. When I don’t get those first few minutes to myself in the way I described I can be off my game and tend to be more emotional those days. Being a mom has taught me that every morning may not look exactly the same, but if I can try to fit each of these items into the first hours of my day I can be successful and OWN the day.
So as I sit on the couch beside my ill daughter I am able to work my way through these aspects of my morning routine today all while rubbing her back and passing her a water bottle every few minutes when she requests it. Fluids have been helping to return my daughter to her natural state. She’s keeping her eyes open again instead of just sleeping the day away. So I will check this last item off of my morning routine list and enjoy my day with my beautiful baby girl whose health is getting better by the minute.
The Ameri Brit Mom 