how things are

I can't get over how much things have changed in the last week! {And because typing lacks inflection, let me clarify: that exclamation is not a glazed smile + high pitched, happy voice exclamation, but rather a holy sh*t, I'm almost scared things are so different exclamation!} I have yet to look presentable enough to be photographed this week, spending most of my time at the computer preparing lectures...so these fun vintage betties {some old, some new} will have to do for now while I catch up on life...

** {I didn't have to do this for my first class...no frogs} **
Last week was jumpstarted with me making up a shlew of powerpoints for my lectures {because my access to the college's system was glitched}...in addition to preparing the talking points for the lectures themselves. I did all this is a mad rush last week, through allergy, bloodshot eyes. So when I began my first class on Wednesday, even though I still looked like a member of the Volturi {from Twilight} my powerpoints were done + my 2.5 hour lectures to 35 people {in each class} rocked! I had gotten the Monks off to school on time, picked him up before heading to the college, then buzzed home from my class after teaching to pick up the kids for soccer practice, only to finish off the day with an appearance at my "grandfather-in -law's" 88th birthday get together.
***** Huzzah! *****
As I sat sipping a glass of wine, watching my littles playing with their cousins, silently congratulating myself on a successful, albeit completely insane day, my heart suddenly skipped a beat. Sh*t, I have to do this again tomorrow!

***************
Ok, well, the line up is not exactly the same, but each day still has it's own element of busy. Still, I have a whole new respect for working parents. I remember feeling "so busy" before I was working, even before I had littles in school. Now I feel like I didn't even know what "so busy" was! Don't get me wrong, I'm not taking anything away from the work full time mama's do, it is just that you have no idea what conforming to a school routine for your kiddos, or what trying to fit in a job does to your already busy day until you are actually doing it. Atleast that is what I am finding now.

*** {Ain't this the truth!} ***

This week I also began taking care of my neighbor's daughter(11) before and after school. My neighbor is a single mom + just recenly got a new job in NYC again after being laid off last year. It is a little crazy, suddenly having 4 children Monday through Friday, but I knew it would be. You see, my mum was a single, working mom + I was an only child, except for when I saw my half brothers {I never say "half"} at my dad's "every other weekend". I think having been on my own as a kid made me want to have a big family...and made me not think twice about offering to care for my neighbor's daughter. I know that my little ward really loves having my kiddos to play with and her mom loves that she will have the structure of a bigger family.

*** {Some days, I really do feel like this!} ***

And with that we are onto another day, another week + so on. I can take a bit of comfort in knowing that once the college work is done, I won't have to do the same kind of preparation for teaching next semester. And while I suddenly find myself with 4 kiddos, I am also finding myself with some extra cash flow each week which is SO NICE! So for now, this is just how things are. I'll do my best to fit in some down days were we won't do much of anything at all...and maybe, eventually, I will even be able to do a painting or two. We'll see? When things seem nuts, I just try to remind myself of what a lucky girl I am, that I have the luxury of having these kinds of busy,"white collar woes". I'm a very lucky girl indeed.
XO.