4 Inches

I measured the pile of paperwork that I removed from my desk, the kitchen table and the kitchen counter. Now, yes, it’s a little spread out, but at its tallest, it is four inches. FOUR INCHES of things I have deal with, one by one by one. Even if it’s just to move it to another pile. For “deal with immediately” “file” “for taxes” etc. It’s 2:39 in the afternoon on a Sunday. I’ll check back in an hour and we’ll see where I’ve gotten. I may even measure it again!

One Hour of Work Later:

A lot of trash thrown out, all filing separated (although not filed yet!), LONG To-Do list made, two bills paid, two Washington DC Field Trip paperwork filled out and money put into envelopes, and am about to start on the annual Medicaid Insurance online. Feeling MUCH better now that I at least know what is in the pile and most of what needs to be done with it. I t measured the “to be filed” pile and it’s 2″ high. None of the to be dealt with piles are tall enough to measure. Whew!

Balance

I’ve been working for 2 1/2 weeks now. I still haven’t figured out how to balance everything–getting ready for work, reminding the kids to get ready, making dinner, doing laundry, finding time for God….that last one has definitely gone completely by the wayside. I originally thought “oh, I’ll have a quiet time at lunch”, but I have ended up only taking  15 minute lunch. When I come home, He’s the last thing on my mind until I go to bed and think “oh, rats, I meant to spend time with You!”. How do I do this? I have a little less than two months left of working and don’t want to ignore God the whole time!

Bear With Me

So I’ve been working for a week. I mean, working for PAY. In an OFFICE. NOT ORGANIZING.

Rewind life 11 years ago, pre-children, and life was somewhat similar. Except now I have four children who wear a heck of a lot of laundry and a husband who works sometimes-utterly-insane-amounts of hours and can’t pitch in with the house stuff a whole lot. Or at all. Which explains why not only is my dishwasher full of dirty dishes, but so is my sink.  There are no clean spoons. Or mugs. Or, apparently, socks or my elder daughter, because laundry has also fallen by the wayside.

How do you working moms DO IT??

I leave the house the instant my kids leave for the bus stop (8:45) and come home at 3:20, in time for Ethan’s bus. All that stuff that used to get done in the intervening hours now has to happen before bedtime. And it’s just not. We still have elder/deacon meetings, karate, variety show practice, good news club, science fairs….and all of THAT has to happen before bedtime as well!

Again, how do you working moms DO IT?? Do you just give up getting enough sleep? Because I’ve done that when the kids were little and managed to survive it, but I did not have to interact in a coherent manner on the phone in a professional atmosphere.

So, all that said, this blog is definitely going to be taking a backseat. The instant I press “publish” I’m going to finish filling that dishwasher and clear off the kitchen counter. I hope. Then pick up the kids and make sure they do their homework. And then do laundry so I have something to wear to work tomorrow. Then fix dinner. And put the kids to bed.  And then hopefully see my husband (who worked 73 hours last week–13 of those on Sunday alone!)

I’ll miss you. And I hope that you’ll be with me when April rolls around and my temp job ends.

Sidelined

I have been OUT.OF.IT. Sunday evening I came home from Jim’s mom’s house feeling completely fine. Sometime in the night I woke up with a sore throat. When I got up on Monday it was on fire. Made it to Laura’s alleged bone scan at the local hospital, where I was informed that their machine was not detailed enough for a 3D scan on a pediatric case. Oookay, thanks. Went home. Went grocery shopping, where I had to stop here and there to catch my breath. By the time I got home, whatever it was that I had had hit full force. Slept horrendously that night. Yesterday I spend the ENTIRE day on the couch, getting up to make tea and go to the bathroom. That’s it. Slept fabulously. Woke this morning, hoping to feel well enough to go to DuPont  for Laura’s new and improved bone scan. Nope. Still rotten. Call and reschedule for Friday. Lay on the couch some more. I’m having a few bursts of energy here and there (like now), but nothing I can count on. I HAVE to do some laundry (on my last decent pair of underwear!) and make fudge for gifts for tomorrow. I WILL do both these things in the next 7.5 hours. In between resting on the couch.

I have kissed the idea of Christmas cards and a family portrait good-bye. Neither one is going to happen before Christmas. Priorities!

Taking a Quick Break

I’m in the middle of rearranging the furniture in the office. That would be my desk and two filing cabinets. And assorted items on my desk. Instead of my back facing the door, now my side will. This makes turning my head to see what devilment my little not-angels are up to so much easier. Plus they don’t have to look at my back all the time.

 

Oh, and I wanted to go on record as saying that I signed the paperwork at SnapFitness this morning. I am officially a member of a gym. Whoa. The undersides of arms are getting a little scared. They like all the flapping. I hate the flapping. HATE IT.

The Second Week of Freedom

Ok, that’s a little over the top, I’ll admit it.

But still…peace and quiet during the day cannot be overrated!!

Last week I didn’t do a whole lot but sit on my butt, relax and enjoy the peace. My reward to myself for surviving the end of the summer and the incessant “MOMOMOMOMOMOM” that I heard.

This week is a bit different. I’m setting that timer for 15 minutes and getting things done, bit by bit. Going through things. Throwing things out. Cleaning that darn playroom. Just because I can’t stand it one more second. And hey, I found a book that Ethan has been missing and therefore crying over. THAT made it worth it!

I don’t know what it is about family being home that renders me incapable of getting things done, but I’m oh, so grateful that I make up for it when they aren’t around.

It’s the Best Day Ever….

The title is a song from Phinneas and Ferb, if you didn’t know.

I’M ALONE. I’ve talked to my mom, I’ve checked email and Facebook and I’m even blogging!

I’ve got a huge to-do list, but I’m not in any massive hurry to start. It’s pouring outside, so going to the bank and the library are a little less appealing!

I think I’ll go and spend some time with God. That would be a good way to start my alone time, doncha think?

Intention

I’m all about good intentions. But if it doesn’t get written down, it doesn’t get done. Life will always intrude (especially in the form of the internet!).

So, if I’m being honest, and since this is anonymous why not, I haven’t been intentional with reading the bible. In MONTHS. I’ll think about it the night before and say, “Oh, at 9:00 I’ll have a quiet time”. Then 9:00 comes and goes and poof, before you know it, it’s 3:55 and the kids are home. I cleaned and did laundry and did errands, but God got pushed to the side.

So right now, before I do anything else except press “Publish”, I’m starting my To Do List for tomorrow. First thing on it after Get Kids Off to School? Quiet Time.

The First Thing to Go

As I said in my last post, this past week was insanely busy. Both Jim and I were out, either singly or together, every day and every night except Thursday evening. Poor Bennett didn’t even get to go to karate until Saturday morning!

Yesterday afternoon (after karate), I started catching up on the house stuff. My kitchen, dining room and living room are finally good. The office? Well, I’m surrounded by piles of paperwork on the floor, but at least I can find my desk. The laundry? That’s this afternoon. My blogs that I follow? Doing that now.

Each morning, when not insanely busy, I check 19 blogs, plus Facebook. Some post first thing in the morning, some post multiple things (PioneerWoman.com), some post around noon (Dooce.com), some post once or twice a month, but I check each first thing anyway. Except this week. I’m very behind! So if I haven’t commented on your blog in awhile, please don’t take it personally….I’m coming!

Weekend Plans and Kids

Subtitle: NONE!

Can I express to you how happy I am that other than a friend of Jim’s coming over today to practice guitar with him and church on Sunday, we have NO PLANS?

Between my community outreach meeting Monday, a funeral and snow Tuesday, karate on Thursday and Friday evenings, I’m ready for a nice, long weekend of nothing.

Oh, and about the karate–Bennett LOVES it and earned his white belt. I know, it’s the lowest belt, but hey, it’s something he earned. He was very proud of himself and that’s a good thing. Next will be gold in about three months or so. So, as of this moment our kids are involved in:

Bennett: Trumpet, Good News Club, Karate

Laura: Piano, Good News Club

Catie: Good News Club, (karate when Jim starts his new job)

Ethan: Chorus (in school)

The trumpet requires getting to school early on every Day 6 (6 day cycle instead of 5 day in our school district). GNC is picking up at school every Thursday afternoon, and karate is taking to class 2x/week. I never thought I would turn into a chauffeur for my kids–so many of my mom-friends are and I figured I would somehow escape that fate because of Ethan. Ha.