November

I guess this is my monthly blog. Life as a working mom to two active and involved little girls leaves little time for blogging! My typical day begins early...getting up before everyone to get myself ready for work. Then I make sure backpacks and lunches are ready, homework and library books packed, and any notices read, signed and returned. Mike thankfully looks after breakfast and getting the girls to his parents and/or school depending on the day. Once I get to work, the action really starts! There's always a ton to do before the kids arrive and once they do arrive, it's just full steam ahead until 2:45. Teaching is a rewarding but extremely exhausting job. I'm constantly multi-tasking and trying to make sure everyone is engaged and connected with the lessons. I love the creativity of the job, but I hate the feeling of not ever being done. I love being with the kids though. It really energizes me to be with a group of 22 7 year olds. You just can't help but catch some of that childhood energy...it's kind of like adrenaline to me. A good lesson is like a good drug...not that I'd know, having never been on drugs, but you know what I mean. Or maybe you don't, but that's OK. I always think I'm going to leave school at a decent hour. I always envision myself being finished by 3:30 or 4:00. Realistically, it's usually closer to 5 by the time I'm pulling out of the parking lot. Most nights I rush home, feed the kids and either do piano and home reading with them or drive them here and there to soccer, dance, choir or piano. Mike comes home somewhere in there, sometimes meeting me to pick up one of the girls. We try to get them to bed by 8:00 but it's usually 9:00 before everything gets done. Then we clean up, make lunches and get ready for the next day. Whew! No wonder I usually fall into bed exhausted.

It's a crazy life, but I love it and I don't think I would change a thing....except for maybe hiring a chef, housekeeper and personal organizer! Meals are killing me this year. I just can't get it together to make some meals ahead, so more often than not, we are eating badly. There have been far too many pizza, pancake, take out nights. The only vegetables getting cooked lately are the frozen variety that I can cook without preparing. By the time I get home, there is no time to prepare anything. My vow to myself this weekend is to get organized in that department for our health's sake!

The girls love being involved and when I suggest that maybe we drop an activity next year, it is met with resistance! For my sanity, it may have to happen next year anyhow.

I'm still feeling a lot of sadness around Debi's passing. It's kind of hard to see her things every day and be reminded that she's gone. It really seems hard to believe some days. I keep thinking I'm going to hear her voice in the hall at school. Some days we just sit after school and chat about her. We usually end up laughing after we shed some tears. That was the great thing about Deb...she left us with so many funny memories because she really lived life to the fullest.

It's late so I'd better get to bed or I'll be cranky tomorrow. It was neat to watch the American election last night. I let the girls stay up to hear Obama's speech. I told them they were witnessing history in the making. That really impressed them.

I'll leave you with my new favourite song. It's an upbeat, positive message and reminds me of the incredible blessings God has given me and the beautiful life He's allowing me to live.