Getting It Done

12.45pm--Settle the Darling Sons at the table with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Dash upstairs to put on workout clothes and heart rate monitor, put exercise DVD into player and gather necessary equipment.

1.10pm--Get Darling Son #2 into bed for nap and Darling Son #1 involved in appropriate activity that will, hopefully, keep his attention for length of exercise DVD.

1.15pm--Start workout.

1.20pm--Phone rings. Let machine pick up. Hear Darling Husband say someone is coming by in twenty minutes to pick something up. Weigh options--continue exercising and greet stranger sweaty? Or suspend workout until after stranger departs? Fear suspension of workout will result in total eclipse of workout window of opportunity. Debate social dilemma of appropriateness of sweaty greeting. Decide is not socially criminal offense to offer sweaty greeting, as long as sweat is accompanied by smile and general pleasantness. Continue exercising.

1.23pm--Hear DS#2 calling for me, meaning he is not asleep. Go upstairs to check on him to find he not only requires diaper change, but also change of bedding. (Don't ask.) Annoyed, but realize workout delay has resolved social dilemma and am, thus, thankful.

1.33pm--Resume workout after cleaning and changing child and sheets, putting sheets in laundry and finding second appropriate activity for DS#1 that will hopefully keep his attention for remainder of exercise DVD.

1.37pm--Stranger arrives, transaction is pleasant and mercifully short, am only mildly glistening thanks to multiple interruptions. Social appropriateness is maintained. Enjoy moment of gratitude upon reflecting that everything happens for a reason... lalala.... continue workout.

1.55pm--DS#1 appears in shorts and t-shirt announcing plans to join in workout. Provides mild distraction in the form of great amusement.

1.57pm--DS#1 is bored and begins to use barbell as light saber, then transforms into Optimus Prime to defeat dumbbells, which are apparently evil Decepticons. Reclaim equipment, shoo DS1 out of room and resume.

This is a Decepticon. How it resembles a dumbbell is a mystery to the adult mind.

2.30pm--Workout is complete. Distractions did not disrupt flow of happy post-workout endorphins. Float around in post-exercise bliss for a moment.

2.31pm--About to get in shower when DS#2 wakes up in state of great discontentment resulting in screaming. Weigh options--shower quickly despite screaming? Or wait until after children are put to bed, thus allowing greater enjoyment of shower? Decide to wait.

7.45pm--Darling Sons in bed. Shower completed. Clean. Happy. Healthy.

Sometimes, this is what it takes to get it done.