Breakfast

For almost a year now, I have been working up to this... having BREAKFAST together as a family each morning.  Not just any old breakfast, but a hot, homemade breakfast. The thought was first planted in my mind by my friend Jen, who does this. "Wow! That's amazing. And it would never work for our family," was what I said when I found out she cooks a hot breakfast for her family every morning. I had become the queen of cold cereal breakfast. No planning or preparation went into our weekday morning meals. It was each person fending for himself or herself -- choosing from the boxes in the pantry of processed, overly-sugared, expensive store-bought cereal.

The idea of providing a hot, homemade breakfast for my family kept working its way into my mind over the course of the next several months. I knew it was what I needed to do. I began to think of ways that I could make it work for us. Instead of laying in bed each morning until the last possible minute before my husband and high-schooler rushed out the door, I decided I could sacrifice some sleep and discipline myself to get out of bed earlier. I didn't tell my husband about my long-term goal just yet. He wondered in surprise when I started getting up a couple days of the week before he finished his morning routine, so we could talk and get ready for the day together. At first, I got out of bed just 15 minutes earlier than usual, then 30, then 45 minutes. By this time, almost a whole year had passed since I started planning for this big new goal. I prepped my children for this new routine several weeks prior to the start of the new school year. I told them I wanted our family to have more time together and to start the day off right with family prayer and a yummy breakfast. I told them it would require a degree of sacrifice from each one of us. In order for Dad to leave the house on time to get to work, we would need to all be downstairs by 6:00 a.m.  I was surprised that the response of my children was positive. Each of them said they wanted to do it. Next, I told my husband. He was a little skeptical about it, but he agreed that it would be nice. This part wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. This family of mine is pretty amazing. And they like good food too :).

Finally, I was ready to implement my plan. I successfully dragged myself out of bed when my husband got up at 5:15 a.m!  

For three consecutive days I have been doing this now. WE have been doing this now! ALL of the members of our family have gotten out of bed of their own free will and choice, and reported downstairs for family prayer and breakfast by 6:00 a.m.  I call that a mighty success :).  

I know it has only been THREE days, but now I know we can do it, because the Bowers family CAN DO HARD THINGS!!!