I live with feet in a few different worlds.  And I only have two feet.

Sometimes this makes for a very interesting daily schedule.  And multiple outfit changes.

Here’s a sample page from my calendar:

Sunday, August 28th


7:30 am – my kids wake up.  I stumble out of bed, say my Modeh Ani (grateful I’m alive) prayer and get going with the kiddies: diapers, breakfasts, straightening up after both of these.  Try to fit in some formal prayer; it doesn’t work.I appoint one of my teens in charge and leave for my first engagement.

10:00 am – bris of a friend’s baby.  It’s a rather Orthodox, conservative-type affair.  It’s her ninth (or tenth?) child.  Mazel tov!  My husband does the bris, so that’s always fun for me.  Appropriate garb would be black and black, with a bit of black.  However I do not dress to code since I am going straight to…

10:45 am – bat mitzvah of the daughter of a friend.  While my friend is Orthodox, lots of people at the affair are not.  Lots of colors being worn.  I dress for this occasion, and have a wonderful time (no correlation).

At around noon I head home to return to my lovely children, some of whom need lunch.  I feed, clean, soothe, and attend to my Droid (my 8th child).

I briefly contemplate attending an event where one of our friends is going to kick off a political campaign, and while I really, really, want to go, I just feel like my kids need me home.

Family first – it’s a tough one to implement sometimes.

4:00 pm – Back to School BBQ for JFX.  This requires yet another, cute-but-casual outfit.  Change from head to toe is pretty much required.  My daughters contribute some uninvited input into my choices, and I summarily ignore them.  Transportation to the BBQ is iffy, because my son has a drum lesson 20 minutes away in the middle of the BBQ.  Two cars are needed so teen driver can transport said drummer.  Teen driver also transports those kids that don’t want to arrive early to help, after we leave.

6:15 pm – BBQ is wonderful.  Lots of great JFX friends, new and old.  Weather: awesome.  Food: too busy to eat.  Clothing choice: apparently OK, despite my spurning the advice of my teens (!).  I panic, since I can’t find drummer and lesson is in 15 minutes.  I find him, teen driver is dispatched, and I attend to baby and cleanup.  We get ready to go.  Upon arrival home, it dawns on me that drummer-boy did not take his antibiotics on time… bummer.

7:00 pm – bedtime for the two younger ones.  Off regular schedule due to BBQ… hafta deal.  TG (thank G-d) my husband is around to do baths and help – have I ever mentioned his exquisite awesomeness?  I am in a time crunch because at 8:30 pm I have a…

8:30 pm – Mother’s meeting at my girls’ high school for moms of incoming 9th graders.  Oh my, do I have to change.  Unwritten dress code is once again black and black, with a bit of black.  We hear inspirational words about the beauty of Torah learning and living, and meet the teachers and mothers.  I’m really happy that my girls will have such awesome teachers and am excited to see my friends in the “other” world.

10:00 pm – return home to chill with older kids and hubby.  Reflect back on the diverse people in my day and in my life… the diverse outfits in my closet… the diverse communities that I am a part of.

Tired, but grateful… g’nite!