Never seems to be the right time

Maybe it is because I have a basketball team plus one sub, but time seems to skip from "too soon" to "very late" in a flash. 

For example, if I try to take all my peeps somewhere, I want to start getting ready about 45 minutes before I want to leave. But that isn't really a good idea, you see. Because I will get everyone ready, and when it's time to walk out the door, someone will have taken off and misplaced his/her shoes, at least 2 kids will need to use the restroom again, somebody will want a snack ("But Mooooommmm, I'm staarrrrrving!") and the other kid will have decided he/she doesn't really want to go.  (And my husband doesn't understand why there are times that I think I am on Candid Camera.)

But if I try to wait until 15 minutes before we leave, I get stressed out and crazy trying to herd all my people toward the door. (Ever try to catch a chicken or herd cats? Yeah, it looks a lot like that.)  We'll get to the car, but usually 5 minutes past the time we should have arrived at our destination and, by this point, Mommy doesn't feel like going anywhere. 

So when to start?  That is the magic question.

Next month, I am moving. Again.  But this time, I am only moving about 15 miles away.  The catch (because I am cursed to live what the Chinese would call an "interesting" life) is that most of my stuff is coming from our last duty station, but a fair amount of stuff is here. And then the kids will get out of school probably a day or two after our household goods arrive. And my husband should arrive a few days after that. 

This calls for one of those buckets-o-margarita.

I want to have some semblance of order in the house when my husband arrives. So I want to start packing up the less essential things here and move them there. But when do I start packing? Now? I think it might be too soon- I have nowhere to put boxes and I won't get the keys til the first. Later? That could easily become too late, because Easter is so late and my kids are home from school the last week of April.  Not to mention that packing with 6 "helpers" is almost a fruitless endeavor.  My three year old will unpack any box she finds, especially if it looks interesting, or has her stuff in it, or if it is a day ending in "y". 

So I should start now, before soon becomes late.

ummmm, yeah.

I have lost my grip on time.  I realize it is purely conceptual, but I am starting to think it might not even apply to me.

In the middle of all this, I am working towards my teachers certification. I would be done with the coursework already, but I withdrew my packet because the Army told us we were moving out of the state (and naturally changed their minds once the cut off date had passed- Thanks, Army!).  I need to be in VA until summer of 2013 to get my 5 year license.  Am I already too late?  I couldn't do it any sooner.  Will I pass this stupid test?  I started studying awhile ago, but I think I will run out of time and still not feel ready.  Too late? But it was just early.....

Where does the time go? What exactly do I do all day? Why does it take all day? And why does it wear me out?

Oh look, it's late (lol). 
And in the morning, it will be too early again.
Round and round we go.....