Time

Time is such a wonderful thing, and one that I seem to never have enough of. I know I am not the only person out there who struggles with this. Most of my girlfriends are just as busy as me if not busier. Molly has four kids, is in an intensive nursing program, and takes care of her regular wife/mom/home duties(and is a freaking size 4); Lisa has three kids and is also in a challenging nursing program; Dawn has four kids - all boys mind you - works full time as a nurse and is doing a private business on the side...we are busy people. I like to think that one day I will not be as busy as I am today-but part of me knows that that day may never come. The reality of it is, I actually like being busy - being busy isn't a bad thing as long as you are busy with the right things. I know there are many days that my priorities have to shift in order to get certain things done. I spend a lot of time preparing for my students and I need to focusing on worker smarter not harder. I also have to remember that my students should be doing more work than me...yeah...when that day comes someone better be there to catch me as I faint from shock.
Seriously though. I am happy with how busy I am. There are certain things I want to MAKE time for (like this blog, so that a month doesn't pass between posts), or make MORE time for - like my husband and our kids, but otherwise, I am really OK with my hectic life. Yes, I have days that I don't handle it well and I get cranky or overwhelmed - but those days are the exception to the rule. A colleague of mine asked how I ever see my husband or have time for my kids. This somewhat upset me because we DO spend a lot of time together. To the outside, it seems like we are crazy - I work full time, take a grad class and have to drive 90 minutes to Minneapolis once a week, have four children, my husband works full time, is taking two classes, my son is in sports and piano, my daughter in piano, and then there are the usual school functions and activities - yeah, we are busy. But, we are all very close and spend a lot of time together. We play games, watch movies, wrestle, read, laugh, talk, hang out, clean, argue, cook, color, paint toe nails and finger nails (just the girls), go grocery shopping - all together. My kids are tucked into bed by at least one of their parents, snugglebugged into the covers, kissed on the forehead and rubbed on the back, told to sleep well, have good dreams, I love you, and fall to sleep smiling every night of their lives.
I love my life. It isn't how many minutes you have to do things - it is how you spend the minutes that you have. Ours may be fewer in count - but they are so full in content that I truly love my days...as crazy and hectic and nonstop as they may be.

Mommy dates

Wow I have been so busy lately. It is the end of the quarter at school so grades are due tomorrow. Anyone who knows a teacher or is a teacher understands that the last week of the quarter is the worst week of the quarter. I have been swamped with correcting, entering grades, and helping students who are struggling to pass that I have barely had time to breath. I also finished (finally turned in) my grad school project from last year to take the incomplete off my record and get an actual grade. So, work and school have kept me incredibly busy, so busy I feel like I haven't even seen much of my husband or my kiddos. Mike has been through this before and is such a patient man that he is waiting until this weekend, when he knows (because grades are due Friday) that I will want to put my feet up and relax with him. The kids don't get that though, so this morning Abby got very upset and when I asked her what was wrong she said, "I just want to be with my mommy." She was teary eyed and sad looking. I felt terrible. She asked if we could go on a mommy and me date. I started "kid dates" when Mike was overseas in Iraq to give each child some special time. Well, since Mike got home (which is two years almost now) we haven't had those. Tonight, Abby and I are going to go on a date. This weekend Aine, who was around for the conversation, is going to go on a date with mommy and daddy. Karl - I haven't asked him yet, he may just want to hang out with Dad; but I do know that as soon as he gets wind of the "dates" that he is going to want one.
I am glad this happened this morning. Though it made me feel horrible for not being around more this week, it is bringing back a really special tradition that should have never gone away. So, it looks like I am going to be quite busy going on multiple dates this weekend-should be a blast.

Here are some recent photos of the kids. Sam is snuggling on his daddy's chest (he is getting to be such a chunk)














and the other three are suppose to be ready for bed (don't they look tired...)