I know it's time to get up, but the alarm clock hasn't gone off yet. It's six in the morning but by the alarm clock it's only 5:59 am, atomic clock always on time my ass. I take the minute I have to enjoy the view of my husband. Tall, handsome, sweet, caring, and damn sexy. If I had more time I'd be waking him up in my own special way. And it starts. The alarm's off and I can feel him stir beneath my fingers. "Mmm...mornun" Harm mumbles as his arms tighten around me.
"Morning to you too." I lean up and kiss him lithely on the lips. Savoring our last few minutes together before the morning routine begins.
"Why don't you take the shower first, I'll get the kids up." I say squeezing him back. He nods his head in understanding, as I push myself off him. I'm about to grab my navy blue silk robe, a present from my hubby, when I feel his arms wrap around me. He spins me around to where I'm facing him, and pulls me to his lips to connect in one of our electric kisses. We pull apart leaving me with my eyes half closed and my lips parted slightly. I know he's enjoying seeing me sexually vulnerable. He knows what he does to me, and he's so damn proud of it."Love you" he says brushing my cheek with the tip of his fingers.
"Love you too" I reply. He smiles at me and then heads towards our in suite bath with what I can only describe as a swagger to his hips.
I hear the shower start, and open the door to the rest of the home beyond the doors. I'm hit by the sound of alarm clocks ringing and children's feet hitting the floor. I make my first Stop at the farthest room from me. I'm about to knock on the door when it opens revealing my oldest child. I can't help but smile at her. She looks so much like the both of us. She's got my long brown hair and harm's blue eyes and height. The poor things 14 and she's already six foot. "Hey mom," she says holding a towel.
"Hey sweetheart, you got the first go this morning?" I ask.
"Yeah, figured I'd leave Ryan the cold shower." she says heading for the bathroom.
"Now Kayla be nice to your brother, he doesn't mean to take long showers you know it's just a Rabb male thing." I reply, unable to hold back the nock at harms ridiculously long showers. I swear Sometimes the only reason we share the shower is so I can get hot water. Well that and the amazing....uh well you know.
"I know mom. I promise Ill save some water for him" she says before entering the bathroom.
I move to the next room, and can't help but laugh at the F-16 and Annapolis posters. I swear all you have to do is look at my son's door to know what he wants to do with the rest of his life. I can hear his alarm going off, and can't help but think about how much he's like his father. "Ryan time to get up honey" I yell while knocking on the door. I hear no movement from inside, and decide to knock again. Once again no movement. So I make my move, and open the door. I can't help but feel the need for a haz-mat suit as I look around the room, and notice clothes, books and random things lying around. I see my son still asleep in his bed with his comforter partially covering him. I go to turn off the alarm, and notice that my son is lying diagonally against. "Ryan time to wake up" I say shaking him a little. He rolls over and mumbles something about twenty more minutes. I shake my head, and attempt one more time. When all my attempts are refuted I resort to my marine training. "Alright up and at'em sailor," I yell in my drill sergeant voice. He jolts awake and stares at me in complete shock.
"Mom, what are you crazy?" he asks looking at me like I have grown two heads.
"Welcome to the living sleepy head. Time to get up." I say throwing some of his clothes into a laundry basket.
"Alright mom, geez you know how to wake up a person." he says getting up and taking over for me.
"I love you too" I say giving him a kiss on the forehead before leaving his room.
I walk out into the hallway and am nearly run over by my other son as he makes his way to the other bathroom. "Lucas," I yell after him. His head pokes out of the bathroom door and looks up innocently at me.
"Sorry mom," he says before shutting the door to the bathroom. I sigh, amazed at my youngest son. At the age of eight he's so much like me. Into dinosaurs, hiking and loves the Marine Corps. Though I have to laugh at also how much he is like my uncle Matt, always trying to see a better way.
That's three one more to go and the house will be up. I hear the familiar creek of a door opening. Turning around I see my little girl dressed in her pink Cinderella nightgown. I smile at her as she rubs the sleep from her eyes. "Hey pumpkin did you sleep well?" I ask picking her up and placing her against my hip.
"Uh huh, Mommy do you think I could get a pony for my birthday. One with purple hair and I want it pink." the little girl says with a smile on her face.
"Well Haeleigh I don't think they have those types of ponies, but daddy and I will see what we can do. Is that okay?" I ask as we make our way downstairs. She nods her head in understanding. "What do you think we should have for breakfast?"
"Uhm.... Chocolate pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and milk" I can't help but laugh. Only one of our children got my stomach and it's our four year old daughter.
"That's quite a lot. What do you say to cereal and milk?" she nods her head in agreement as we reach the kitchen. I put her down on the floor and we begin our routine of setting the table for breakfast. She grabs the spoons and bowls as I begin to prepare harm's and mines coffee.
After about ten minutes breakfast is out on the table ready for its consumers. Haeleigh is situated at the table, already eating breakfast, when I hear the sound if Kayla coming down the stairs. "You look nice sweetheart." I say taking in her outfit of jeans and a nicely fitted purple shirt.
"Thanks mom. Do you think Clark will like it?" she sits down at the table and pours herself a bowl of pops.
"I'm sure he will." My poor girl is head over heels for her boyfriend, I'm just glad he feels the same way too. Though harm would prefer she stay his little girl forever. It's funny how he stays up waiting for her return home. He loves her so much, it's sweet.
As I move to help my youngest with the milk that is dribbling down her chin, I'm nearly knocked off balance by my oldest son sliding into his seat. I give him my famous stare laughing as he cringes beneath it. "Sorry mom" he says grabbing the milk to pour over his cereal. I smile at him, and give him a kiss on the head.
Just as I am about to take my seat, I'm interrupted by the yells of my youngest boy. "Mom! Mom!" he yells running down the stairs. I catch him as he lifts off from the last step, and kneel in front of him.
"What's wrong Lucas?"
"Mom Noggies gone, I've looked all over my room and I can't find him." he says to be in what I can only say is one breath.
"Alright sweetheart calm down, I'm pretty sure he's somewhere around the house," I say to him as I dry some of the tears running down his face. He takes a hold of my Hand as we head upstairs. When we get to his room I see the cage lid is open, and can only hope Lucas' guinea pig didn't find his way into Ryan's room.
You would think that with a dog, two cats, a guinea, and four goldfishes. That our children would learn to keep all animals separated, but I fear that will never happen. I just hope one of these days the circle of life doesn't happen. I start with Noggies, named for his smarts, favorite hiding spot which always seems to be my son's pockets of the pants lying on the floor. I'm about to search through another pair when I hear a scream coming from the master bedroom. "Sarah!" harm yells drawing my attention to him.
"I'll be back in a minute sweetie. I need to check on your father." I pat him on the head, then rush to the bedroom hoping nothing's wrong.
When I enter the bathroom I see Harm's arm sticking out from the shower door with a furry wet ball on it. "Sarah did Lucas loose someone," he says as I wrap the shivering animal in a towel.
"Thank you flyboy," I saying pulling on his arm a little, to bring his face towards me. I give him a peck on the lips, and turn to leave.
"Sarah, please remind him to keep on lock on that cage," he yells after me, but I am already out the door.
I exit the room, to find my son waiting for me. "Mom you found him." he takes noggie from my hands and talks to him, as he drys him off. I shake my head as we head downstairs.
I lean against the counter, enjoying my coffee along with the few moments of silence that resonates throughout the house. Looking over the rim of the cup I see harm coming down the stairs tightening his tie. I smile at him as he walks over and grabs some coffee for himself. "So how was your shower?" I ask with a hint of a smirk behind my cup.
"Funny very funny." he replies before noticing the clock on the wall. "Hey guys the bus will be here in ten minutes, you'd better get ready." says getting all their attention. They all scramble upstairs to grab their remaining items. Within minutes they are back downstairs, all lined up for inspection. I can hear the bus coming up the street, and start the goodbye process. I hug and kiss each one, then pass them on to Harm who does the same.
With one final wave goodbye the front door is closed, and we're free of children for at least the next 8 hours. "Finally no more kids," he says pulling me toward him. He brushes my lips, but before he can return for more our daughter interrupts us.
"I'm still here daddy," Haeleigh says smiling up at us.
"You are aren't you?" he picks her up and pushes her into the air a little. "So miss doodlebug are you ready for preschool?" she nods her head yes as harm places her back on the ground. "Well then you better get your bag and your shoes on" he says patting her nose with his finger.
"Okay daddy." she scrambles upstairs, leaving us alone once again.
"Now where were we," he says wrapping his arms around my waist. Just as he's about to pull me close I put my hands on his chest, holding him at bay. He gives me that "what?" look, and all I can do is shake my head no.
"Harm, you've got to finish getting ready, and Haeleigh will be down in a few minutes." Harm sighs in exasperation, before processing an idea. "What about tomorrow?" he asks.
"Can't, we've got to take Haeleigh to ballet class, Ryan to baseball practice, Kayla to track, and Lucas to outdoor explorers," I laugh as he lets out a groan of frustration.
"When did we get to the point where we couldn't even make out?"
"Oh I would have to say about the first time you knocked me up," I laugh hugging him close to me. He kisses my head and I kiss his chin, but before it can go further our little girl is back at our feet.
"I'm ready to go daddy," she states firmly.
"You are huh. Well are your teeth brushed?" she nods her head then smiles at him, showing off her freshly cleaned teeth. "Good, how about your backpack?" she twists in his arms to show him her hello pony backpack. "Good good. Then I guess I should finish getting ready," he says, as Haeleigh nods her head yes.
Grabbing his jacket and briefcase, and receiving their goodbye kisses, Haeleigh and Harm head out of the house, officially ending our morning routine.
