Adjusting to Working Life

Today marks a month since we sent all three of our kiddos to school. Really, a month already?!

I have gotten very little of my to do list completed and I have yet to be bored. I have been working more to fill my time (so I sleep during the day if I work all night). One week I work 3 nights in a row (8 hr shifts) and then I try to pick up one shift on my off week. Looking ahead, my first week off will be the week of October 20 when I decided not to pick up on my week off. I really should sit back and catch up on stuff, right. Working all these nights is a killer as I still do not sleep well between shifts.

As it is now, I work either Monday-Wednesday nights (so I sleep through Thursday) or I work Sunday-Tuesday nights (sleeping through Wednesday). On the precious days I have off, I go to the grocery store and run errands one day and I frantically clean and do laudry on Fridays, leaving little time to sit down and breath. Even on my week "off" where I pick up the single shift, I stay busy. I nap the afternoon before my shift and I sleep the day after, so working one night takes up 2 days really. On the remaining 3 days, I run the errands one day and clean one day leaving only one day to catch up. Last week during that one day, I stained the playset. It looks so much better. I was happy to finally get to my neglected to do list. Next on the list, shopping for my Dad's birthday next month and Christmas shopping. I have already started Christmas shopping, getting my mom almost done and the kids and Chris started. It's a start anyway.

Meanwhile, Chris is now into day 3 at his new job. He feels like he is getting pulled in so many directions. Last night, for example, he raced into the door at 5:25 just to leave again to take Asher to soccer practice (he insisted I not go. Pretty sure he does not trust me to be good around his brother, Asher's soccer coach). After practice, he slammed down his dinner, waiting 20 minutes and went off to work out. He is crazy. I got the kids cleaned up and put in bed before I saw Chris again (and I was in bed by then, trying to nap again before work).

Quicking I am remembering what it is like to be a 2 person working household, and I am not even working full time. I HATE IT! It is so chaotic. Between my shifts, I am scrambling to make lunches, pack up the backpacks, help the kids with their homework, get the breakfast stuff ready for the morning to help Chris out, etc, etc, plus keep the house picked up and cleaned and the laundry caught up. I just want to step back and say, "Why are we doing this again?" Then I remember, I don't have to do this, so I will take the week off. :) So happy I am not commited yet as I am finding I am just not ready for the fast lane yet.

I am just not one of those super moms and I am proud to admit it.