For my kids that is! So that means there is one more day of MY summer vacation, before the kids are home until September.
I had meant to get so much done during this time they were still in school and I was not. I truly did. It was all there in my mind's eye -- the clutter-free main floor and bedrooms, the sorted clothes that various kids had outgrown, the painting/decorating projects all done, the basement cleared to enough of a state where I could think about having some contractors go down there to give us ideas on how best to finish it, the super-level of fitness I'd have achieved by now. S.I.G.H......
Sadly, most of that remains in my mind's eye.
OK, so I did get some painting and decorating projects done. Two bathrooms and the family room, to be precise. I did run more -- even did up to 10 km one day -- new record for me!!! The de-clutter projects...well....that's an ongoing battle in our house. The laundry room and kitchen did get majorly de-cluttered, but they're slowly creeping back to their cluttered state, with different clutter! I somehow always forget that when I do get a room in order, entropy kicks in, and it goes back to its 'natural' state. Why fight the laws of physics??? ;-)
So I guess it hasn't been a total loss and waste of time, but it's still not where I thought it would be. But that's probably just reality.
What did happen, though, is that I recovered from the huge work load that last semester was, between being a full-time student, starting clinical rotations, being a mom, wife and community volunteer. The volunteering was the one thing that almost broke the proverbial camel's back last term, and is the one thing that will be eliminated in the coming four terms of nursing school. I loved being a Guider with Girl Guides of Canada, but I have to be realistic about the work load for the remainder of nursing school. I can only do so much. There's many other responsibilities that trump volunteering, as much as I enjoy giving my time. And I'm not 20 anymore!!!
I'm rested, and actually ready to start the next semester, but alas, have to wait until September.
Today I plan to run, and finish the teacher's gifts. How the last day of school takes me by surprise every. single. year. is completely beyond me. I start thinking about what to get the various teachers in early June, come up with great ideas with the kids, and then suddenly, tomorrow is the last day of school and I've got nothing. Aaacckkk. I'm definitely not a mom who will be posting her home-made wonder creations on Pinterest...(as cool as I think that would be to do!)
And I have to mention, just because it is so important to me, how incredibly grateful I am to have a second summer to be at home with my children. There's one more summer after this one that I won't be working...'cause after 4th year's done, its back to work for this lady.
Just this morning, I was thinking of what life would be like had I not been able to start this career-change, and was still working FT -- all the day camps that I'd have to have organized by now, the before/after camp care I'd be paying for, the stressed mornings of getting everyone ready to leave the house early and dragging kids to places they really didn't want to be at. I realize this is a reality for many, and I've lived it myself. And that is what makes me so grateful, knowing that I have the opportunity to be home in the summer, and just BE.
Here's to another "Hands Free Mama" summer. www.handsfreemama.com
Have a wonderful day,
Kate
No comments:
Post a Comment