I found this on Google and might keep it. I like it.

It was our second date. We were watching tv and getting to know each better. Suddenly John turned to me and asked, "What's your morning routine?" I really wasn't prepared for that one. At the time, I was a fraternity House Mom, and my main morning routine was making sure that I was up, dressed, and visible by 8:00 a.m. That was when the magic happened. I was ready for deliveries, meetings, inspections, disasters and whatever else came my way. My most memorable morning was when I stopped the firemen from breaking our front door with an axe because of a malfunctioning alarm. I was really glad I was right there in the room when they came to call! That was really the only routine I had at the time. And coffee.

But I guess that is the first time I realized that morning routines were something people thought about. Now it has become quite a thing. Of course I googled it. And I found out that there is quite a variety of routines that are popularly followed by those with much more discipline that I have or even want.

Becoming even more intrigued, I checked with YouTube. Do you know how many videos there are of people brushing their teeth? Hundreds, at least.

There is a difference between a morning routine and a morning ritual. A routine is a set of actions and habits one does in a fixed order right after waking up. A ritual is made up of slow intentional acts. I guess it is the difference between putting a coffee pod into the Keurig, and fresh grinding the specialty coffee beans, and then adding spring water to a French press coffee pot. And then taking the time to watching it brew while meditating.

My mornings are based on whether I'm going somewhere or if I am staying home. If I'm going to be home, I am lazy, but I could probably turn coffee into a ritual. If I have to be somewhere early in the morning, my routine is pretty streamlined. I like to get ready as quickly as possible. My only hint for this is to decide what I will be wearing the night before. Actually, that is pretty good advice. 

Some of the morning routines that I read about lasted more than an hour with plenty of time for grooming, prayer, inspirational reading, and exercise. I was surprised at the people who liked to begin their routines at 5 a.m. I've never been secretive about the fact that I am truly a night owl. I am sincerely trying to change that but it isn't easy to do. I know I'm not ready to be up at 5:00, unless it's for an adventure.

I recently heard this little story. Grandma was staying with her nine-year-old grandson and trying to help him get ready for school. Finally, he looked at her and said, "Gigi, you are interfering with my morning routine!" I wonder if he is on YouTube.

Peanuts and Crackerjacks

 

We took a little road trip this week and went to see our grandson play baseball. They live too far away for us to see too many of the games, but this was fun. His team is the eight- to ten-year-old age slot, so they are at the point where you start to see a lot of improvement. I've been to a lot of Little League games over the years, but I have never been what anyone could call a sports fan.

With five children growing up, there were years when practices, and games took a lot of time. My two boys played ball. My youngest daughter also played baseball, not softball. That was kind of unusual for the time. There weren't too many girls on the teams.

Two of my girls were gymnasts, so for years we had three practices a week, and meets all over the state for what seemed like every weekend. I enjoyed watching gymnastics. The worst part of it was that they expected nearly absolute quiet. So the moms would always sit on the bleachers barely talking. I brought a lot of craft and sewing projects to work on during those years. This was way before the time of cell phones. We wouldn't have been able to have them in the gym anyway. It was a sacred and silent place!

The ball fields were a lot more casual and laid back. All the younger kids would run around and have a great time playing and the moms would catch up on everything going on in their lives and neighborhoods. A lot of this is still the same over 40 years later. And a lot is different. Parenting styles have changed a bit over the years. Sportsmanship is still important, even though sometimes things can get a little heated. This was a good game, and I thought our team was going to win up until the last inning. It was exciting. 

Most of our trips now are short ones. Neither of my husbands really liked to travel. I'm pretty sure that Jim had a 23-hour time limit. He never wanted to be gone longer than that. Once he even woke us all up at three a.m. to leave a weekend family reunion after the first evening. John's family all seemed surprised that we were spending the night away from home. I don't think he's that predictable. We have been on several one- or two-day trips around the Midwest. And who could ever forget our debacle of a honeymoon!

Lucky for me, nobody cared if I wanted to travel, so I have been on  quite a few longer trips over the years. But even my love for adventure is starting to slow down. I am always, always happy to return home, no matter where I go!

WHAT I AM READING:  Lady Tremaine by Rachel Hochhauser

A Retelling of the Cinderella Story. Was her stepmother really that wicked or was she just misunderstood? We will find out and let you know.