Tough Day.

I chose to skip practicum today. It is the first day that I have missed teaching.
Emma's homework was not done, Tripper was refusing to dress OR brush his teeth. Kindergarten papers were due, High School admission papers were due, applications for honors classes were due and needed teacher approval signatures. I work Eli up around 6:10. At 7 a.m. he rolled outta bed.

I sat there, at 6:55 a.m., my normal "leave" time, and had chaos all around me.
I chose to call in sick, to help Emma with schoolwork, help Tripper brush his teeth, deliver signed applications and papers to the proper places.

I got it done.

Sometimes, the kids have to come first.

It went downhill from there.
You ever had those days where ya just want to go to bed, get back up and start all over?
Today is one of those days.

Times of Change.

It seems that nothing is constant.

Things are always changing.

I have several magnets on my fridge. Sometimes, I will put special artwork on there. Right now, there is an Easter bunny in a field of construction paper grass. There is a renewal for my drivers license that needs to be completed. There is a super funny menopause magnet that makes me laugh. I also have some of the most important pictures in my life on my fridge. My wedding day picture with my mother, a picture of me and my babies after Tripper was born, a goofy picture of Dave... I guess that my fridge is the descriptor of my life.

Right now, I have a paper on there that reminds me that my first baby will be going to high school soon. Tonight, we have a parent-information meeting at 6 p.m.

Following that, we have a "Save The Date" for 8th grade graduation on May 24th.

On the opposite side, I had an application for my youngest baby to start Kindergarten.

When that youngest baby was born, I would sit and rock and count their ages.... Eli was nine, Emma was twenty months, and Tripper was just born.

Then, I would think about how easy it would be when:

• Eli would be 10, Emma would be 3 and Tripper would be 1.
• Eli would be 11, Emma would be 4 and Tripper would be 2.
• Eli would be 13, Emma would be 6 and Tripper would be 4.

Now, Eli is 14, Emma will be 7 and Tripper will soon be turning 5.

Not too far in the future, Eli will be 20, Emma will be 13, and Tripper will be 11.

There is nothing "easy" about it.

One day, they will be gone. It will just be me and Dave. Alone. In the house. I will miss stepping on marbles, matchbox cars, and Barbie hairbrushes. I will miss the smell of teenage boy cologne, a young man begging to have a sleepover, silly stories, and all the look-what-I-can-do's that come with kids.

These days are passing by too quickly for me.

Mistakes.

I have had some pretty stupid screw-ups lately.

• It is almost time for mid-nine weeks reports for the kids - I just sent report cards back this week.
• I realized on the 29th of March that I did not pay the water/gas/sewer bill for the month. It not only cost me $30 in late fees, I had to go into City Hall and pay the bill. Do you know how embarrassing it is to pay a bill with a cut-off notice when a picture of your husband is hanging right beside the check out counter at City Hall, staring at you as you fix a screw up?
• Spring Pictures were a couple of weeks ago. Thinking that I was on the ball, I put Emma's check in the envelope and sealed it, and put it in her backpack ONE DAY EARLY! Woo-Hoo! Fast forward a week later, I got a strange phone call on my cell phone. It was from the picture taking people. Seems that I did, in fact, put the check in, but I did not fill it out or sign it. They graciously sent it back and let me finish it, so Emma will still get her Kindergarten class picture.
• I registered for Summer/Fall session. I filled out the financial aid papers like the day they were posted online. I never received a response. I thought, "Boy, they are cutting it down to the last minute." So, I walked across campus yesterday and just stopped by and checked it out. They were never received. First,the lady at the desk told me my hair was cute. That was an added bonus :) Second, she told me to go resubmit right then. So I did. She said it looks good, I should have plenty of money to fund my 17 summer hours and my 17 fall hours.

Now, I have to build up my courage to talk to my bosses at work and ask for three weeks off in May. Someone, give me an opinion.

IF YOU CAN KNOCK OUT AN ENTIRE SEMESTER IN THREE WEEKS, WOULD YOU QUIT YOUR JOB OVER IT?

Please reply.