I’m the kind of person that wakes up in the morning looking forward to the upcoming day. I do walk rather bleary-eyed to the kitchen for my coffee (cold in the refrigerator from the day before, already loaded with milk and sugar…I can’t wait for it to get made fresh). Then I get into a bit of a zen zone as I walk Huey-Girl in the dark, pre-dawn of the day.
Stress begins as I get ready for the day as I manage the beginnings of my three children. I go upstairs and see pajamas laying on the bathroom floor and fresh toothpaste painted on the bathroom sink. I get the first child to his band practice at 7:15 on the far side of town and drive to my school. That is where things ramp up…as a teacher, it’s go, go, go. James loses a tooth in the middle of the math lesson. Meetings. Cassie gets stung by a bee at recess. Lesson planning. The internet goes down district-wide when my class is scheduled to be in the computer lab. Assessments. Go, go, go. By the end of the day…energy reserves are low. Kindergarten daughter doesn’t want to go home. Tears.
On the drive home I feel the “tireds” coming on. But the day isn’t over. What’s for dinner? What do we have in the cupboards? What do you mean we’re outa milk? The kitchen is piled with our “stuff” from the day. Dinner dishes. Who’s having school lunch tomorrow, who’s having home lunch? There’s homework, piano practice, homework, football practice, homework, dance class, (did I mention homework?)… It’s the end of the day and I feel exhausted, crabby, and STRESSED!
So its time to get the kids to bed. My days always begin with a walk and everyday ends the same way…with a story. I make sure that everyone has teeth brushed and we snuggle in. I put on my granny reading glasses and read a chapter (right now we are reading The One and Only Ivan) before someone falls asleep. I still have some planning to do for school tomorrow and laundry that needs to be put away. But right now, all my chicks are tucked in tight. Safe, warm, clean, healthy, loved. The stress ebbs. Good night, sleep tight…
#sidetrackedsisters #sidetrackedlisa #stress #sanity
