Waking Up Before Dawn: Motherhood, Water Shortages, and the Quiet Strength of Daily Family Life

When the Day Begins Before Sunrise

This morning marked a small but meaningful milestone for me. It was the first time since moving into our new home that I woke up unusually early just to prepare breakfast. The reason was simple—but not easy: our ongoing water crisis.

Water in our area has been unpredictable. Some nights, it flows briefly—from around 10:00 PM until 5:30 AM—and then disappears again. That narrow window has shaped how we plan our days. So today, I decided to rise early, hoping to make the most of the running tap while it lasted.

Catching the Water Window: A Practical Morning Decision

I originally planned to wake up at 4:00 AM, but pregnancy exhaustion caught up with me. I finally got up around 5:00 AM, quickly brushing my teeth and washing my face before heading straight to the kitchen—because every minute of flowing water counted.

It may sound silly to some, but preparing breakfast is infinitely easier when tap water is available. In moments like these, you realize how much everyday comfort depends on simple resources we often take for granted.

A Filipino Breakfast in Motion

Breakfast prep came naturally—once my hands remembered where everything was.

• Rice:

  • 2 cups for the family

  • 1 cup for Josh’s lugaw (rice porridge)

• Ulam (Viands):

  • Chorizo de Cebu – Nina’s favorite breakfast treat, a tightly packed string of savory meat balls wrapped in thin casing

  • Boiled eggs, a breakfast staple in our home

We didn’t have bread available, and it was already too late to buy from the bakery. So for today, we gave Aia a bit of allowance to buy snacks from the school canteen instead.

👉 Related reading: Traditional Filipino Breakfast Staples

Muscle Memory, Motherhood, and the Law of Use

After some time away from consistent breakfast prep, I felt a little disoriented—forgetting where things were stored, moving slower than usual. It reminded me of the law of use and disuse: skills dull when we don’t practice them, but they return quickly once we do.

To survive the morning, I brewed myself one cup of coffee. Even at nearly seven months pregnant, it’s generally considered safe to consume up to one moderate cup per day, as long as it’s done in moderation and with medical awareness.

👉 Helpful reference: Safe Caffeine Intake During Pregnancy
👉 Related health guide: Pregnancy Nutrition Basics

Moderation, as always, is key.

A Smooth School Morning (A Small Victory)

The kids woke up earlier than usual—likely thanks to the kitchen noise. But it worked in our favor. Aia was able to prepare early, and for once, we weren’t rushing.

Although her school is quite far from our new home, we chose to keep her enrolled there for three important reasons:

1. Transferring mid-school-year could be emotionally difficult

2. My aunt, Anti La, teaches there and helps monitor her progress

3. It’s my husband’s and my alma mater, making it deeply personal

Despite mixed reviews about nearer schools, peace of mind matters more than convenience.

Preparing the Studio for Friendship and Creativity

Our main task for the day was clear: prepare the studio.

In two days, our good friends Horst Backer and his daughter, Sofie, will be visiting. We cleaned thoroughly, laid down carpets, rearranged:

• Piano keyboards

• Tables

• Sony music box

All that’s left is hanging curtains to conceal the storage area—and the studio will be ready.

Small Health Concerns and Gentle Monitoring

We noticed some rashes on Josh’s buttocks, likely caused by unattended soiled diapers. For now, we applied rash cream and decided to monitor his condition over the next few hours.

Motherhood often means constant vigilance over small things, trusting that attentiveness today prevents bigger issues tomorrow.

Math Practice and Learning Through Patience

Aia is currently working on 2-digit subtraction. She loves Math—but like all children, there are days when concepts don’t click right away.

To help her, I prepared worksheets sourced online and exported them into GoodNotes, where she completed them after lunch.

👉 Worksheet source: Free Printable Math Worksheets for Kids - Double Digit Subtraction
👉 Tool used: GoodNotes Digital Note-Taking App

Sometimes learning isn’t about speed—it’s about staying gentle and consistent.

Stretching Meals During a Grocery Delay

Because of the water interruption, our grocery schedule was disrupted. Opening the refrigerator revealed very few vegetables left.

So we turned to a reliable classic: pork adobo.

With just:

• Soy sauce

• Pepper

• Oil

• (Optional) bay leaf
  

…it carried us through both lunch and dinner.

👉 Cooking inspiration: Classic Filipino Pork Adobo Recipe

Simple food, when done right, nourishes both body and spirit.

Evening Fatigue and a Noisy but Loving Night

By evening, exhaustion set in—no afternoon nap, an early wake-up, and pregnancy fatigue all catching up at once.

We began our nighttime routine around 8:00 PM:

• Brushing teeth

• Washing up

• Changing into night clothes
  

The kids played (and argued) for about 30 minutes before hallow time.

👉 Related post: Our Family’s Daily Hallow Time Routine

Despite the chaos—crying, finger-pointing, sibling drama—I lay on my left side, feeling my baby kick endlessly, as if wanting to join the fun.

Jesz came upstairs to help calm everyone down. Not long after, I drifted off, trusting that the house had finally settled into rest.

Closing Reflection: Ordinary Days, Quiet Faith

If you’d like to follow our family’s journey—learning to live fully in trust of God’s Holy Will—you’re always welcome here.

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Thank you for being part of today’s story.
Until next life—keep watch over our Simple Wedded Life.