Mother of the Year

Yes, it is true. School is waaaaayyyy back in swing and I am beginning to fall behind on my duties as a mother. With our oldest now a Kindy, and our youngest a mean 2...life is wild when I get out of school. I can't complain, I have the best schedule in the world.

6:45 drop off kids in their p.j.'s
7:00ish arrive to mold the minds of 135 hormonal 7th graders
8:00 - 12:05 teach 5 classes...it is a fast pace with only 5 minutes between classes, but if I can make it through that marathon I am home free.
12:05 - 12:35 'lunch' which consists of one day of cafeteria duty a week and the other days I get to go to the elementary next door and walk my little man into kindy. Even on duty day! I just leave the cafeteria in the charge of our gym teacher and two other teachers trying to keep 600+ students from throwing food, etc. and I run across campus to go walk in my little scholar. Hey, I should count this as exercise.
12:40 - 1:25 my planning time...a solitary moment of the day when I can do whatever I, yes that was, I want! Sometimes go chat with my sister, also my school's librarian and a brilliant photographer Sometimes I get in my car and drive to hobby lobby and dream about all the cards I want to make, or the blanket I want to sew my brother and his wife who are expecting.
1:30 - 2:20 teach 7th period. Actually it is not quite fair to say 'teach' because I have never met a group of students so hard to teach. They are rude, disrespectful, tired of school by the end of the day...here I am fresh off a heavenly break. They usually drive me to want to find the nearest marjarita bar on the way home...but I would never do that :) I can't drink in the company of my closest friends without spilling something on someone. I always think it is a sign from God.
2:20 - 3:10 Clean up 7th hour's mess and get ready for the next day. Walk back to the elementary and pick up my charming kindy.

After that it is a whirlwind tour of picking up ornery little man, go home and start some laundry, start dinner, yard work, homework (me and kindy) man the phones from soccer parents (yes, my husband coaches the team which makes me mom/coach/organizer of all things good), disgruntled family members going through hard times, catch up on friend phone calls, make a card or two for any birthday or special occasion coming up, play with the children, show my husband love and affection because he is the best!
Although in my mind there is a web of sarcasm woven through the typing of that schedule... it really is the best. I just have to prioritize the wants vs. the needs as far as things to do. I need to focus on the joy in getting some of it done. I have even thought about a housekeeper?? Am I lazy? I certainly was not raised to think that was normal.
On the flip side of positive, I have at least 3/4 of an inch of roots showing which includes gray. I took my youngest for his 2 year 'well' check to find out he had double ear infections. I about died right there in the office. Not to mention when I went to pick him up from the sitter he had wet his entire suit of clothes during nap time. We were digging through the old stash of clothes that she had collected over the years...found a pair of neon green shorts, score! Now if we could just find a shirt...no, we had to dig through the other little sleeping boy's bag and found low and behold a power ranger t-shirt! I don't even let my children watch that show. He wore that and his cute little chuck taylor converse all stars (which are blue). When do you want your child to look better than they do at church???? The Doctor! Don't ask me why?? They strip them down anyway!!
My oldest had lollipop day at school and I have read every memo and still cannot find the one that talks about the day. He had to inform me on the way to the car that he did not get one and everyone else did. I immediately walk to the office and purchase him one. Luckily they were continuing the sale after school. Then I later find out in my neurotic quizzing of the poor child that the teacher didn't let them eat them in class anyway. I was picturing him sad and teary having to watch everyone else enjoy a tasty treat.
Pray for my sanity!