Hi. Well, I have hit the 6 week mark of working. In the past 3 weeks, I have gone from part-time to full-time.....thanks to the awesome Principal I work for. It's been a big adjustment BUT, really just for me!
All those things people say about the resiliency of children is true! We just don't necessarily experience it until the going gets tough & the tough get going! I am shocked & astounded how well my children have adjusted to:
a.) getting up earlier & out the door
b.) being more independent getting ready in the morning
c.) being in aftercare at school (I do work AT the school, so it's not like they are in a strange place...but still)
d.) a longer day
e.) a more tired Mommy
f.) doing errands after we leave the school at 4:00
Believe me, on a daily basis I have my jaw hanging open regarding this. "f" in particular....my children LOATHE errands. They absolutely detest shopping of any kind (except for Toys-R-Us, of course) and prior to returning to work if I drove a different route home, suddenly they would use their "suspicious" voice and with fear in their eyes ask "why are we going this way?" or "we're going STRAIGHT home, right?". But my kids have risen to the challenge and have sucked it up and understood that I don't really want to go anywhere either, but we need groceries or gas or whatever we need that day.
We're still working on the "helping out with housework". I'm not declaring them perfect yet! LOL. My husband, has suprisingly, been one to step up and pitch in more with house work and that warms my heart. It's not that he's doing anything "above & beyond" but after 16 yrs of marriage I know where my husband's strengths lie and I know how he shows love & I know what conveys love to me. Domestic, he is not. He does like to cook or clean and I always say that if he was a single bachelor forever, he'd weigh 96 lbs. & live in a hovel. He's not a slob but he's not naturally inclined to clean ;) Maybe that's the same thing but I'm not going there. After you are married for a long time you know who they are and you love them FOR those things, not in spite of them. Anyway, his making the effort to unload & reload the dishwasher, do laundry, clean up the dishes....that conveys to me that he understands I can't carry the load alone. Before I was working I would have said "you don't have to do that" or "no, it's okay". So me letting him help is a big thing too. I have said several times, going through tough times teaches you a lot. About both yourself and others. It strengthens too, if you let it.
Now on to Fall! I love fall. I miss fall. We don't exactly have "fall" in this part of the country. At least not the fall of my childhood. Growing up in Western N.Y., fall meant back to school (first Tuesday after Labor Day!), picking apples, jumping in piles of leaves, crisp morning air by mid-September, blustery days, gathering the horse chestnuts that fell from the trees on our street into bushels (why, I don't know, other than they were beautiful & shiny), shopping at Ski Mart for a new winter coat and boots, windows open, the small town Labor Day fair (I SO miss that), dreaming of Christmas & snow. Very little of that life from my childhood exists where I live today. But my memories are rich and warm and I can wrap up in them & smile. But I still love fall.....I have started to pull out my fall decor in the house and put out my Yankee Candle "fall festival" scented candles to bring in the mood. I want to organize, clean out the house, declutter, plan for Christmas and have cool weather. Of course, standing in the car line, directing traffic in 95 degrees doesn't feel like fall to me....but in my mind it is 65 with a breeze and I'm wearing a sweater and jeans and it's all good. ;)
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