Maybe, Hopefully Someday

Maybe, Hopefully Someday

Sitting in my biology class daydreaming as I let the clock spin and hypnotize me into feeling like time is fleeting faster than it should just so I can get the heck out of there and do something I actually want to do like run or hang out with my friends and I am wondering why I even have to be here. What gets me through every class, every day, every exam is the hope of a future. The hope of MY life that I can make my own with the people I choose to be with. The boring biology class suddenly becomes a steppingstone to greater things, dreams, that hopefully I can make come true. I sit and I daydream about the life that I could have maybe, hopefully someday.

Seven o’clock in the morning and I wake up to the sound of tiny feet stomping across the hardwood floor into my bedroom. Eventually I feel a few thuds on my mattress and slowly I find those tiny feet stomping across my stomach. I guess it’s time to get up now. I get the tiny feet to wake up the guy lying next to me and we all go downstairs to whip up some breakfast because its French toast Friday. Some fruit and syrup scatter the floor a bit because along with those tiny feet come those tiny, baby hands that aren’t skilled eaters yet. However, fear not because the 8 furry feet inevitably make their way into the dining room and quickly run along to lick up any spillage from the inept eaters sitting above them.

                After breakfast all the tiny feet become covered with some tiny shoes and its time to take the furry friends out for a walk. Our walks around the neighborhood are routine but on such a beautiful spring morning they seem extra special. The breeze brushes past a little softer and the sun shines a little warmer than the walks of the weeks prior. One of the girls picks up every dandelion she finds in hopes of making a big, beautiful, bouquet of sunshine while the other chases her brother around in circles. This then causes the dogs to join in and before you know it a whirlwind of speedsters circles me like a tornado. The littlest set of feet can be found inside the stroller wheeling in front of my husband. Luckily, he is protected from the playful tornado inside his rolling plastic shell but, he is exposed enough to take in some sunbeams as the sun starts its journey into the sky for the day.

                Once the loop is complete, we meet back at our big red front door ready to start the day. We help the little ones get dressed and pack up some fun lunches for school with little notes for them to read during snack time reading, “Good luck on the spelling test!” or simply, “Have the best day ever!” The kids say bye to dad as he waves goodbye from the driver’s seat window while the car pulls past the basketball hoop and out of the driveway. Then the stroller makes a comeback and the leashes are broken out as the bus is on its way and it’s time to walk down the street to catch it. Three sets of tiny feet wave goodbye as they stumble and climb onto the big yellow bus. The last set of tiny feet comes home with me.            

                I put on my blue scrubs, pack up my white coat, put the baby in his car seat and now, as the clock nears 9:30, it’s my turn to pull out of the driveway. Upsettingly, as I do every morning, I see the eyes of my sad furry friends watching me pull out of the driveway through the front windows as they think this will be the last time they ever see me because I am abandoning them, but I always do come back!

                After a not too long drive to the hospital I park in my usual spot around the side of the building and walk my little one up to the hospital daycare. He’s less sad than the dogs are to see me go. Then I walk over to my wing of the hospital, the pediatric wing, and get ready for rounds. Today is like many other days in the life of a PA, physician’s assistant, eventful.  Round on some post OP patients, meet with some ER patients, do some paperwork, scrub in on a surgery or two, then meet with a few more ER patients, help the doctor with some work and then get back to the daycare so I can checkout for the day and be home before the bus reaches our stop.

                Finally, littlest one and I arrive home around at 3:30 giving us just a few minutes to get the stroller, the leashes, and our favorite furry friends and walk down to the bus stop. The big yellow bus arrives, and the dogs are jumping for joy because it means their 3 best friends are coming home. The three munchkins rush off the bus as fast as they can while maintaining balance, ready to pet the pups and tell me all about their day. They take turns walking each dog and pushing the stroller until we are back home and ready to unpack and have a snack. Then comes homework time and shortly after, some play time! After a few hours go by we see the lights pulling up the driveway meaning dad is home. All 4 sets of tiny feet and 2 sets of furry feet get excited and race to the door for the extravagant greeting that comes every evening in our houses very own welcome home party.

                Its pizza night which means my husband brings home 2 large pizzas and some garlic knots from our favorite place down the street all while trying to wrestle through 4 small kids and 2 crazy dogs. He finally makes it to the kitchen, and we eat. Afterwards, it’s time for board games. After a few riveting and overly competitive games of sorry and twister its time to get ready for bed. Tub time never comes easy but its always necessary. Then come bedtime stories, one for the girls in their room and one for the boys in theirs. Just like that its lights out. My husband and I unwind together with a glass of wine and binge watching our favorite show together until its our turn for lights out in order to get ready for another adventure that these crazy kids will bring tomorrow.