We're still here!

I think the honeymoon period is over, and I've hit the wall of exhaustion. I need a vacation! Mornings have become the hardest time. When my alarm goes off way too early, and the bed is so warm and cozy, I think to myself how much I would love to just be able to stay home instead of getting up and rushing everyone out of the house in the next 75 minutes. I love my job and my students, but it is really hard to be a working mom. Thankfully, I have a job I enjoy and am paid well, so I try not to complain when I'm exhausted because I think about the people that have hard, manual labor jobs and make minimum wage, and I'm thankful for what I get to do.

I know that I was the one who made the choice to go back to work this year, but I made the choice based on impending financial need since we had all but exhausted our savings after our move and many large repairs that came up unexpectedly with the car, house, and medical bills. I don't think I would have considered applying for a job if we hadn't been dealing with financial stress because I really enjoyed staying home. With the unemployment rate hovering nationally close to 10%, I know there are many, many people who would be grateful to get a great job this year or who have a spouse who has been laid off, so I am counting my blessings and am thankful that I can work in this great profession in a top school district!

However, it's an almost impossible job to work full-time and do all the stay-at-home things, too! I just know that my life before with two kids at home and 1 in regular school was a piece of cake compared with working from 8-4 every day and still doing all the "mom stuff" like cooking, cleaning, errands, laundry, etc. in the evenings and weekends. I used to have time to attend a Bible study, turn on the television, call friends, or scrapbook (sort of). I don't know how long I can keep up this pace, but I'm thankful that we're paying off big things each month and will be making some headway back to having an solid emergency fund again. You have to do what you have to do, and God will direct us in the future!

Hudson had the swine flu or something like it this week, so he missed 2 days of school. He ran high fever, but after two days was well enough to return to school. My junior high has had a 15% absentee rate this week with sick kiddos. I have had around 17 students absent every day with flu symptoms! It's just crazy. I got the kids the regular flu shot, but we are still debating if the H1N1 vaccine is safe enough for us to feel comfortable using it on the kids.

Owen had a third grade school performance on Thursday and did a great job singing patriotic songs. He also performed in his afterschool program and danced with a group to Michael Jackson's "Thriller." Ah, that brought back many high school memories for me with the single glove and the moon walk!

Arden is doing really well at her daycare. It has been such a blessing to have a small setting with an absolutely wonderful teacher. Arden has friends that she plays with and talks about, and she hasn't been sick or missed a school day since I moved her. She runs in the room in the morning, and I can barely get her to leave with me at 4:00! She is waking up happy for the most part, and I think she is adjusting to the different hours. Sometimes Arden is still clingy and needs "mama time" a lot more in the evenings. If she has a cold or is more tired, I can tell a big difference in her separation anxiety, but it is getting much better than it was when I first went back to work. She is talking in sentences now, and she has pretty much given up the high chair to sit in a booster seat at the big table. She wants to walk in the parking lot holding hands now, and she is becoming such a big girl! I can't believe she'll be two soon!

People around here are already decorating for Christmas, and all the stores have decorations in them already. We are waiting until Thanksgiving week to tackle the Christmas decor and tree, but I'm excited to have my decorations out this year. It's been TWO YEARS since we put up our real Christmas tree and all the decorations! Two years ago, I was about to give birth to Arden any day, so we opted for a small tree and minimal decor, so we wouldn't have to put it all up right after we came home from the hospital. It was a good choice as she arrived on December 27, and I was thankful for the ease of putting away Christmas items. Last year, we moved from Cabot to Bentonville on December 29. We had packers at our house on December 27, so we didn't put up a lot of decor since we were in the middle of packing. It will be nice to have a "normal" holiday season this year.

We're looking forward to Halloween this week, as the boys' schools have a costume parade and fall parties on Friday. Our church has a big festival planned for Saturday too. Owen is going to be Obi Wan Kanobi, Hudson will be a cowboy, and Arden will be a ladybug. It should be fun!