These are the mornings where the dawn is crisp and cool, and where we awake ready to tackle the world.

As I started out the door Tuesday morning, with the air’s slight chill and promise of lunchtime sunshine, that feeling was further affirmed as I settled myself behind the wheel of the car.

That feeling lasted until I arrived in the office and sat down at my computer.

It progressively went downhill from there to the point where I felt like running out of my office, down the back dock steps and screaming at the crows in the trees.

Sometimes it’s just so hard to juggle it all, especially when you consider there is just not enough time in the day.

I’m a list maker. I like ‘em a lot. So as a single working mother, one could imagine the lists I have at any time in my possession.

I have a list for school stuff, doctor stuff, sports stuff, house stuff and lastly work stuff. Somewhere in there I try to work in “me stuff.” Generally that’s not possible; that’s why it’s at the bottom of the list.

And people wonder why I run around with a BlackBerry and a planner.

I have to have something to tell me where to be, when to be there and something that sets off an alarm, lest I be late.

Most of the time I am able to prioritize and schedule things. My friends make fun of me, but it’s what I need to make my life work. Apparently, it’s frowned upon if you forget your children’s soccer game, and I don’t want that happening.

So Tuesday was one of those typical “nothing is falling in line where it needs to fall” days.

That means a sick child, a trip to Wal-Mart and figuring out how to make time to write this column.

But I did it.

I managed to get to the doctor in a reasonable fashion. Apparently it’s OK to be seven minutes late, as long as you show up.

I did remember to pick up those fall festival snacks requested by one of my other children — I forget which — and pick up a pumpkin. I even got extra special neat-o snacks in the form of Cheetos that turn the mouth blue, so those should be a hit.

I haven’t missed a soccer game as of yet, which by the way is every Saturday from now until the end of forever. And did I mention they start at 8 a.m. on the one day of the week I have to sleep late?

Sigh …

Making my way back to my desk after deciding to trade my scream for a cup of coffee, it comes to me — life is about showing up, picking up and not missing out. So, after writing this column, I’m not doing too bad with this whole thing we call life.

After all, I got my lists, my BlackBerry, my planner, my refrigerator calendar, my Post-It note reminders … which reminds me, I need to put those on my Wal-Mart list, and if you’ll excuse me, I need to stop here. I have kids to pick up, supper to cook, a pumpkin to carve, but thank goodness no cupcakes to bake, since I opted to go with the Cheetos.