Who Ya Gonna Call?

“It’s 8 o’clock, everybody!  C’mon!  It’s time to get up!”

Bodies furrow deeper under blankets.  Emerging fingers hug pillows tighter.

“NOW!” I say and start to make the bed around a sleeping child.

One by one they fall out of their beds to the ground.  The really dramatic child crawls to their dresser to retrieve clothes.

I finish making the beds and head downstairs.

“And don’t come down here without brushing your teeth!” I yell back up when I land on the bottom stair.

“THERE’S A GHOST RIGHT THERE!” Declan yells as he sees me enter the kitchen.

“Okay!  I got him!” I yell and point my finger to the kitchen ceiling.

“PSSSSSHHHH!” I add with great sound effect.  I slow bring my pointed finger down to the ground and yell, “Open the trap!”

Declan stomps on the ground and looks at me.  The sign that the trap is open.

I bring my pointed finger to the area of the stomp, release my finger to make a fist and yell, “We got ‘em!  Great job, Ghostbuster Declan!”

“Great job to you too, Mommy!”

And off we go our separate ways to complete our morning routine.

Up for hours already, Ghostbuster Declan had filled many ghost traps.  I had no idea our house had so many ghosts, but I was quickly learning, they were all around us.

Crazy hair Einstein enters.  I mean Catelyn.

“Did you brush your teeth?” I ask.

“I NEED.  TO BRUSH.  MY HAIR.”

“Yes, you do.  And be nice.  Then go brush your teeth.”

I grab cereal bowls and put them on the kitchen table.  Then the spoons and milk.  Down comes the bread and peanut butter as I start to make a packed lunch.

“THERE’S ANOTHER GHOST!”

Up goes my heavy laden butter knife with peanut butter.  “PSSSSHH,” I yell and quickly call for the trap, bring my ghost down and secure it.

“Whew!  Got another one!” And Declan saunters back into the TV room.

“Mom, do you know where my book bag is?”

“What?!?  How could you possibly lose your book bag?  Didn’t you put it in the book bag bin?  Bobby, the only way the book bag bin is effective is if you PUT your book bag in it!” I exclaim and again realize my peanut butter knife is high in exasperation.

I bring my peanut butter back to the bread and look at Bobby.

“Okay, I’ll go check.”

“OH MY GOSH, BOBBY!” I add and cover my nose, “AND BRUSH YOUR TEETH!”

Why do my kids hate brushing their teeth so much?  Just brush your teeth!  BRUSH!  Save us all!

“Oh, yeah.  Here it is.  It’s in the book bag bin.” I hear from the other room.

My eyes go up and give a roll to the wall ahead of me.

“Good, okay.  Go brush your teeth and get your sister.  You guys need to eat.”

Lunches are packed and children arrive at the table (with brushed teeth).  Morning prayers are said and breakfast begins.

“Mom, you forgot to put out the cereal.”

“Oh,” I say and quickly turn around to open the cereal cabinet.

“Ahhhh!” I bellow as I trip and fall, trying to avoid landing on Declan who is on the ground.

Declan’s face is scrunched up and his eyes are closed.

“What are you doing?” I exclaim.

Declan wipes his face and emits with a small whisper,

“I got slimed….”

Not one to eat cereal, breakfast or any designated meal when it is scheduled, I encourage Declan to scoot.

“Oh, okay.  Could you clean yourself up in the other room?”

“That Slimer got me again!” Declan sighed, wiped his eyes and left the room.

Two children finish their cereal and head down to the bus stop.  WITH found book bags from the effective book bag bin.  As I stand on the front porch and wave goodbye the cry is heard from inside,

“Oh no!  Another ghost!”

“How have we survived this long, in this house, without a Ghostbuster before?” I wonder, and head inside, ready to take down ghosts all morning until Declan’s bus comes to get him for his afternoon session at school.

“Get the trap ready!” I yell as I walk back in the house and shut the front door.