A new routine

It didn’t cross my mind that our house would be over capacity when I invited my parents, my sister and her boyfriend, our two good friends and their new baby to stay with our family of four– all in our four-bedroom house, all in the same week.

But hey, I leaned into the chaos…and the support.

My mom unloaded the dishwasher, my sister's boyfriend cooked breakfast casseroles while my sister dressed my children and did their hair, my Dad picked the girls up from school. I’d take long morning showers and a few extra minutes in the bathroom while Clayton snuck out for a run or to get a head start at the office. I’d come home to folded piles of laundry on my dresser.

And then, as quickly as they came, they left.

In small clusters.

Two at a time.

First, my parents, then my sister and her boyfriend, then our friends and their sweet little baby.

The house was quiet. It was back to the four of us. One-on-one defense was back in play, and after a month of sickness and a revolving door of visitors, it had been forever since we had a routine in place. We anticipated our mornings to become frantic again—multiple trips to the van with bags, coats, and half-full water bottles, me searching for my car keys, my phone, my computer charger.

We needed a plan.

I recruited our four-year-old, Caroline, who, when we told her we were having another baby, had looked me dead in the eyes and asked, “This family?! Can we please start getting ready now so we aren’t rushing the day before the baby comes?”

With comments like that, I knew she would be the girl for the job, so together we mapped out a check-list.

• Fill up Water bottles

• Lay out extra clothes

• Pack hat

• Pack gloves

• Check coat on hook

• Put bag by the door

• Set out shoes

• Lay outfit out

We had gotten through the first 7 items on the list with impressive excitement. I headed to the kitchen to put the last of the dishes away. “Okay, Caro, lay out your clothes," I said not checking on her task completion until after everyone was in bed.

I peaked into the living room to see if the clothes were gathered. On the floor, I found a small outline of the clothes (and her sisters) perfectly arranged into the shape of a tiny, headless person on the floor.

Final step complete.