Stopping to Smell the Roses

Feels like I've been going 240 with my hair on fire for a couple of years now, and it can be stressful at times for sure. Days like today, though, are appreciated all the more because of it.

I wasn't so sure how the day was going to go...considering the fact that when the alarm went off this morning I was convinced it had somehow reset itself. It was dark as pitch outside and I was honestly convinced that it was the middle of the night.

Stumbling to the kitchen to confirm the time, I found myself heaving a great sigh and stifling a yawn/grog combo rivaled only by the truly bushed toddlers of this world. No way was I getting up yet. 5:00 AM, raining, dead silence in the house. The dogs weren't even snoring. I'm not as dumb as I look...I know enough to take advantage of these situations when they present themselves.

Every 9 minutes until 5:45, a new epic battle was staged in my bedroom. I, the hero, kept finding myself ambushed by the villainous alarm clock, which insisted upon screeching in my ear every time I fell back asleep. With a grunt and a well-placed whack (okay, so sometimes it whack #4 or 5 by the time I connected with my target), I found myself victorious again and again.

Being Thursday, I needed to leave a bit earlier than normal to make it to the office by 7:00. Never having been very high-maintenance, I've honed my morning routine to the point where I can get out of bed, shower, fix my hair, slap on some tinted moisturizer, quickly make a PB&J, and be in the driver's seat within 7 minutes. Very helpful on days like today.

I love having a garage. Somewhere warm, dry and safe to park the car...where I can ease myself into the big, mean world, using the car as a security blanket to shield me from the elements.

Crap. The garage is still full of stuff from the garbage sale and the car is in the driveway.

I made a mad dash for the car, impressively avoiding such potentially ruinous moments as dropping my purse, forgetting my keys or falling flat on my ass, to name just a few. Once I was safely inside I cranked that baby over and got my bootie on the road. There were a few times where the torrential downpours bordered on legendary.

And then the sun came out. Poof...and it was a beautiful day, just like that. Got to be a good sign, right?

Work was blessedly uneventful, compared to the last 439 days or so...not that I'm counting. I actually got a bit accomplished by putting my head down and pretending not to exist. Believe it or not, it actually worked for a while.

I think I've mentioned before that I leave early on Thursdays to come home for The Princess's "Julie-time". Today was going to be a bit different...

Like every woman on the planet, I've waited - once again - until the last possible moment to make my annual girlie doctor appointment. We all put this off. I don't care how nice your doctor/midwife/nurse practitioner is, this is hardly something you look forward to.

The only available appointment was at 3:15 today so I took it. Leaving straight from work at 1:45 I figured I had a good shot of making it there with a few minutes to spare. Little did I know the wind would be at my back and the traffic would part like the Red Sea...I arrived with no less than 30 minutes until my appointment. And that's after I went next door to the pediatrician's office to get some information about something for The Princess. I was dragging my heels, and I was still a half-hour early.

So I walked into the waiting room, faced with the usual suspects: teenagers with their moms, either there for their first PAP or something a little more serious; young women in varying stages of pregnancy and discomfort; new mommies...and the shell-shocked men who sat beside them, looking like a buck caught in the headlights - stock-still with vacant, glazed eyes.

Makes me giggle every time. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I'm always entertained somehow by the wide range of personalities I run into at the OB/GYN office. No one wants to make eye contact or talk, and the trashy soaps are loud enough to drown out a herd of African elephants during mating season.

Walking up to the window, I explained that I was early. I paid my co-pay and headed across the waiting room with the intention of getting comfy with my current Carl Hiaasen novel.

I didn't even get to crack the book open before they called my name.

I looked up and, sure enough, she was talking to me. We walked into the back where I stepped on the dreaded scale (we'll just glaze right on over that part) and she led me to the exam room. Did the normal stuff...took my blood pressure, talked about what's going on since last time, etc., and she handed me "the drape" and explained that the nurse practitioner would be right in.

Dignity is not something you try to hang onto when you walk into these places. Get yourself too uptight about things, and you're bound to really embarrass yourself (ladies, you know what I'm talking about...ever fart at your doctor? Not something I'll ever forget, I assure you!). So, off came the lower half of my outfit and I plopped myself down on the chair with my CrackBerry.

We all know doctors' offices are notorious for running behind schedule. I kid you not, 5 minutes after I walked through the office door and sauntered up to the receptionist, the nurse practitioner was in my room. 10 minutes later I was on my way out the door. I was home 14 minutes after my appointment was originally scheduled...such luck!

Julie Time went very well today. The Princess was attentive and cooperative, and she willingly participated in a few activities that can, from time to time, send her over the deep end. All with a smile on her pretty little face!

While The Princess and Julie were playing, I got a big ol' pan of banana bread going. We are definitely addicts. This stuff makes the bestest on-the-go breakfast ever. We ran out a few days ago and I, for one, have been sorely missing it ever since.

Banana bread out, biscuits in. Mmm...biscuits and gravy for dinner...doesn't get much better than that! With banana bread for dessert, of course!

We've been on a bit of a movie kick lately, and the flavor of the night was The Devil Wears Prada: one of my all-time faves. And we were done watching it by 8:00...funny, it seemed like it should have been so much later.

So many days I come home from work and feel as though I have about 5 minutes between walking through the door and collapsing into bed...

Just when you think the world is flying by and you're desperate for somem precious time with your family, someone upstairs grants you a momentary reprieve. These days are my favorites. I think it helps that I don't know when they're coming...if I did, I'd probably plan so many activities I'd never be able to stop and smell the roses.