Changes in the Family

This has been the beginning of major changes in our family.  Sunday was a frantic day getting ready for these changes (and for Halloween the next day!)  but everything has gone so smoothly this week...makes me think these changes will work, at least for the 6 week time period they need to work.  Both Jared and I got to the end of this week, looked at each other, and said, "That wasn't too bad".  Then we both realized it was weird to think we'd have to do it again the following week, and we were both suddenly exhausted.  :)  Here's some of the changes we've had, for big or small:

1. JD and Karianna started riding the bus!!!!  They only ride the bus home from school-Jared still takes them to Bush before heading to work, but they do the bus on the way home.  On the very first day, Karianna and JD had to answer question after question about where they lived, who was picking them up, where they would be dropped off, etc.  Thank heavens for Karianna, that girl patiently answered every question (and yes, they had all this info in the office, not sure why they flipped out so much).  I beat the bus home every day and met them at their bus stop, so that made the transition easier.  They love riding the bus, it is full of lots of friends from church,s o again, that made it easier.
2. Um, Jared works.  During the day.  :)  He is training for these first few weeks and then he'll get to start working directly with his students.  So far, he has nothing but good things to say about Walden, which is a plus!  He particularly likes his co-workers and management-just a lot more personable and professional than he experienced at past jobs.  Not everything is about numbers and sales here, it actually goes to the heart a bit.  That has always been important for Jared.
3. Jordan and Sara started childcare!  I think their schedule is the craziest honestly: Mondays and Tuesdays they go to the Koch's house, Wednesdays and Thursdays they go to my Mom's house, and Fridays they stay home with Aubrey.  Sis. Koch and Aubrey have to walk Jordan to my Mom's house for preschool bus pick up/drop off on the correct days, which is kind of irksome in my opinion, but that doesn't seem like it has been a big deal. So far, this transition has been great-easier than I anticipated and we feel so grateful for the people helping out in this realm.
4. Sara started sleeping in a big girl bed for naps!  Sis. Koch and my mom have been putting her down for naps in a normal twin bed and she is doing great!  Sounds like she has only cried a few times at actual naptime, but she also calms herself down and hasn't destroyed a room yet!
5. The kids now have me home sooner!  Since I need to beat the bus home, I have to leave right after school-by 3:05.  This has been a good thing for me really-it forces me to stop working, get home, enjoy the kids and rest.  It does mean I need to be super prepped in the mornings, but I can do that.  I have missed the bus a few times-in those cases, the kids have learned to simply walk to my Mom's house and sit on her bench until I get there.  I don't think they've ever actually made it to the bench before I pull up, but its nice to know they are following that direction. 
6. I have had to become very active for every minute of every day.  I need to have 6 lunches ready every morning, backpacks packed and waiting by the door, the house cleaned up and bathrooms, in particular clean for sitters, my own lesson plans prepped, copied, and ready, and an edible dinner on the table by the time Jared gets home....one that can double as his lunch for the next day.  With my part time job becoming more demanding right now, I also have to use any free time to stay on top of that.  Spending time each day with each kid-also paramount so they acclimate to these changes more easily.  Overall, I can't let one minute go by without it being productive.  Just necessary right now.
7. In retrospect, I don't think #6 represents an actual change for me.
8. With hospital/Christmas bills looming, we are on a big "use our money wisely" kick.  We have really taken an inventory of our pantry/small food storage and are resolved to use what we have.  Thus the kids have learned an important lesson lately:  you eat what we make for dinner and we don't waste food by throwing away what we dont like.  You eat it.  And if you don't, tough beans.  We have also really started to monitor our grocery bills, our thermostat, our electricity usage, and things we can do without (like paper plates, plastic spoons, oh it was a sad day when we decided to try to go without!).  We have altered how we do our shopping-ie, 1 trip during the week, not multiple trips which ultimately leads to more gas mileage and higher bills.  The kids have totally noticed this change, especially Karianna.  She keeps telling us, "If you need money, I have 30 dollars, you can totally use that".  We tell her, that's not your job sweetie-and we are just fine with money, we just feel it is important to use it more wisely.  Karianna is such a good example in this instance.  She has been saving up her money for months now when a younger Karianna would have scrounged around for a dollar of coins and immediately asked to spend it on something stupid.  She tells us now she is saving to buy Christmas presents for the entire family (at the dollar store) and then she wants to buy her own MP3.  She wants to listen to books on tape.  We have really commended her lately for saving up her money for something she has carefully planned for.  Good lesson for everyone.

I am sure there are more things I could list in the change department, but we'll end it for now.  I completely feel transition mode starting-everything we are doing is prepping for December, a new baby, and even more changes in our family as I potentialy get to just come home for good.  The things that make you grow stronger as a family-happening right now!