Lynn Parker is a work-at-home mom and does part-time PR and graphic design work for an agricultural insurance company based in Levelland, Texas. She lives with her 4-year-old daughter, Brodie, and her husband of 11 years, Bill, who works in circulation for the Star-Telegram, on what they affectionately call a “ranchette” in Crowley.
6:15AM The puppies, Chilly and Mac, shake their ears and let out a loud yawn. It’s the morning’s sounding alarm. It’s spring! It would be a wonderful day to spend at the park, but it’s Tuesday, so time demands we get ready for pre-K. I begin my day by making beds, getting the coffee brewing, feeding our four cats and running the vacuum in an effort to stir our 4-year-old daughter, Brodie.
6:45AM I fix myself a large mug of coffee, grab my phone and sit down to my daily devotional. I’m still waiting for Brodie to wake.
7:20AM Another cup of coffee in hand, I’m packing Brodie’s lunch and checking my work email on my phone to make sure this week’s news release successfully went out. I boot up my computer so I can pull up any work project needing my attention. (I am blessed to work from home and do the majority of my work at night, but I like to check in with my office during morning hours, especially if I am working on a particular project.)
7:45AM She’s awake. The dogs are excited and my attention shifts to making Brodie’s favorite breakfast: waffles and yogurt.
8AM I warm up what’s left of my coffee and curl up with Brodie after moving her to the “big bed.” She eats breakfast. I enjoy my coffee, and we watch Little Bear and talk about the day ahead of us.
8:15AM I quickly get ready and then assure Brodie that as much as I will miss her while she is at school, her teacher, Ms. Amy, will be so sad if she isn’t there to read her word card and turn in her homework. Convinced, she’s up. She asserts her independence by dressing herself. I’ve learned to suggest, not push; there’s no use in arguing with what she feels pretty in. She wears confidence well.
8:30AM We brush, curl hair, put on shoes, grab school stuff and dash.
8:45AM We’re on the road to Burleson. Our 15-minute drive finds us listening to DJ Shuffle and singing to Sofia the First.
9AM We arrive at preschool. I check Brodie in, and it’s time for her to start her day. I head home to start my day.
9:15AM My day begins. I grab my laptop and get myself set up for creating an advertisement design this evening while watching a little DIY on Home & Family. Ideas flowing and ready for creation, I close up and begin cleaning the house before heading out for a run.
11:30AM It’s a beautiful day. Ten miles it is.
12:45PM I run in from my run to check in with work, have a light lunch and clean up before heading back to town.
1:45PM I enjoy my twice-a-week soda splurge, a dollar Dr Pepper from McDonald’s.
2PM I pick up Brodie and head to the park for some playtime on our way home.
2:50PM We head home to get a little gardening done. I love this time of year. We check for growth and water what has been planted. Then, we go to the barn to clean stalls and feed our goats and our donkey.
4PM I head into the house to cook supper. Bill is home. My husband sacrifices so that I can be at home, caring for our home, family and animals and, above all, raising our daughter. As he comes home from his nighttime, full-time job that was followed by his first of three part-time jobs, my heart leaps to see him, but sinks as I know how exhausted he is.
4:15PM It’s family time, which includes the dogs and cats. We connect before Bill has to go to bed, as his days start at 1am.
5PM We have suppertime, shower and relax. It’s time for me to feed the cats and dogs again.
5:30PM Bill’s settling down, and Brodie sits down with me to do her homework. Learning to read and count is so fun.
6PM Shower and PJ time for me. I start to end our day early, as it’s almost time for me to start my work-at-home day, and I have to “set the mood” for Brodie.
6:20PM Brodie and I check on Daddy and give hugs and kisses. There’s just not enough time.
6:30PM Mama/daughter time — one show before bath.
7PM Bath time. We wind down.
7:20PM We brush teeth, select books to read and pick babies to sleep with.
7:30PM Reading, prayers, hugs and kisses goodnight.
8:15PM Brodie has her flashlight, so she and her babies can chat while I work in the next room.
8:20PM Sitting down to my laptop, I check the hits on today’s newsletter and start making notes for next week’s news. I pull out my morning’s notes and begin designing an advertisement for my company.
10:30PM Browsing Facebook, I look to see how many people looked at our newsletter and see what’s going on with friends.
10:45PM The dogs are in bed. Today, I’m calling it a night early. I head to the spare bedroom to read, so I don’t wake Bill or disturb the dogs.
11:45PM It’s time to move the cat to Bill’s side. Let’s sleep.
1:20AM Bill’s alarm goes off. Let’s do this again.
Published May 2015
