Today is the 3rd day we have been on our new family schedule. Jared is hanging in there, he has managed to get about 4 1/2 hours of sleep each night. The first day was overwhelming just learning the new responsibilities at his 2nd job. The second day was easier from that standpoint, but harder because I forgot to pick up his migraine prescription and it left him feeling very out of sorts all day. I managed to get him in bed about 20 minutes earlier after the 2nd day though, which I think is just more helpful for his psyche. The kids have overall done a good job keeping our house very quiet until 8:10ish in the morning.
I'm doing okay thus far too. I have a hard time falling asleep before Jared gets home, so I haven't been able to really zone out until around 1 in the morning. Those early morning teaching hours have been hard, but I think a few more days of this and I think I will acclimate more. I have enjoyed supporting Jared in this--which may sound weird, but it's true. Things like putting together a good dinner with leftovers; packing his lunch/dinner in the morning; laying out his work clothes; getting back up at 3:20 when he gets home....they are all simple things, but it has made me feel like I am contributing to helping him get the time he needs to rest. I'm sure the weariness of this will set in, and I already hit a point during the day where I just wish I could take a break. But I just remind myself that Jared is working super hard, so I can work super hard too.
A kind of cool realization I've already had-maybe better described as a silver lining. I think over the course of the last several months, I have gotten really used to Jared being home at night to do dinner for the kids. I generally teach a few hours after he gets home from work, which usually meant he made dinner for the kids. Sometimes I would have dinner ready to go, he just had to serve; other times he would do everything. As a result, I have gotten really apathetic about making dinner. It wasn't fun for me, it was something I rushed through, and just didn't care all that much about as long as it had a protein, a fruit, a veggie, and was gluten free. Sounds sad, doesn't it. With Jared gone, it has really helped me focus on dinnertime as a family time, with a focus on healthy, balanced meals. Already I am finding myself looking forward to making dinner-finding fruits and veggies we haven't done in a while, helping the kids see that eating them is fun (ex: the corn on the cob is like clothes...you are supposed to eat until the cob is naked!), and having good conversations while we eat. I'm no gourmet chef, and never will be. But tonite we ate chicken seasoned only with lemon pepper seasoning, corn on the cob (hence the naked cob explanation), and fresh salad. The kids all chorused loud thank yous as we set the table together. We had a great family prayer over the meal. We had that awesome corn conversation. We talked about how school had gone for everyone that day, and what the little ones are anticipating doing in preschool tomorrow. And we all watched James for choking hazards, as he tends to shove all his food in his mouth at the same time. It was great, and I found myself sitting back and thinking--this is a silver lining. I like feeling needed at this time of the day, and I'm glad for the responsibility.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Darnit.
How annoying. I have a chipped tooth. And it's not just a little chip, it's a big one. I don't even know when it happened, I was chatting with my mother-in-law and felt something weird stuck in my tooth....it wasn't food though, it was part of my tooth that had come off! I don't even know what to think, I've never had this happen before. I made an appointment with our dentist for Wednesday, and as of right now it doesn't hurt at all (I'm hoping that means it's not that bad). I get super nervous going to the dentist because I don't have the best teeth, and it has been a while since I've gone. Ugh. Now I have to go for something serious, and that makes me even more nervous! I guess I'm sticking to liquid-ish food for the next day and a half and I'm hoping this is a one-stop fix rather than multiple follow ups. This is such bad timing. :(
Its Official....
My blog is boring. :( Things have been so crazy I haven't felt one bit of desire to update the blog--probably because we are in sink or swim mode right now as we get used to Jared's schedule. Jared has been on his new crazy work schedule for a week-this is the start of week 2. The first half of the first week went okay. I felt like I was handling it well, Jared seemed to be doing okay, albeit tired, and the kids were hanging in there better than anyone. I managed to get up at 3:30am each morning to help Jared transition to bed as quickly as possible, and we managed to streamline his morning routine so he can sleep until 8:15 in the morning. The last few days of the week were hard. We were all hitting a wall, I think. Even the moments we had together seemed hard and frustrating. We were all glad when the weekend came, but I found even that difficult. It was hard to find a balance between letting Jared get as much sleep as possible, spending much-needed time with the kids, and spending time with me. We are definitely still in the acclimation period of this--I'm hopeful week 2 will be easier all around, especially as the weekend rolls around.
Our schedule at home went okay this week. It's almost easier to stay on a schedule as a "single parent", just because there's no one else to help out (I don't mean that to sound sad, just a matter of fact). We've designated certain times "no-TV" times, and the kids have had some good playtimes together. We have a good dinner routine now-the kids do reading time while I prep dinner, we eat, and then we immediately do baths/showers/cleaning bedrooms before bed. The only thing I missed out on doing last week that I wanted to was get out of the house more. I'm hoping to get to the park a few times this week, depending on how hot it is, and maybe jump in the pool a few times as well since we have 100 degree days coming up. I've managed to keep the house decently clean on my own, though I'd be lying if I said there are 6 loads of laundry waiting to be folded on my bedroom floor--in all honesty, there are actually 7 (and soon to be 9 as soon as I finish the last few loads).
I am also hoping to do better keeping up the blog this week-take some more pictures, maybe let that be a motivator for doing some more creative things with the kids. We'll see how it goes-lofty goals for the week, who knows how it will play out?
Our schedule at home went okay this week. It's almost easier to stay on a schedule as a "single parent", just because there's no one else to help out (I don't mean that to sound sad, just a matter of fact). We've designated certain times "no-TV" times, and the kids have had some good playtimes together. We have a good dinner routine now-the kids do reading time while I prep dinner, we eat, and then we immediately do baths/showers/cleaning bedrooms before bed. The only thing I missed out on doing last week that I wanted to was get out of the house more. I'm hoping to get to the park a few times this week, depending on how hot it is, and maybe jump in the pool a few times as well since we have 100 degree days coming up. I've managed to keep the house decently clean on my own, though I'd be lying if I said there are 6 loads of laundry waiting to be folded on my bedroom floor--in all honesty, there are actually 7 (and soon to be 9 as soon as I finish the last few loads).
I am also hoping to do better keeping up the blog this week-take some more pictures, maybe let that be a motivator for doing some more creative things with the kids. We'll see how it goes-lofty goals for the week, who knows how it will play out?
Friday, April 19, 2013
By the Way...
...its my birthday today. I am officially 31...well, will be in a few hours, at 1:10pm ish. Yea me!
An Interesting 7 weeks
The next 7 weeks of life in our home is going to be interesting.
Jared has been looking for part time evening work for a while. We are both acutely aware that our van is only running on borrowed time and even though we wanted to wait another year or two before needing to replace it, we just don't think it is going to last that long. We've already had to nix any trips up north or camping weekends because we know our car can't take it. The suspension is terrible on it, and we just don't see the point in spending hundreds of dollars to repair it when we know we will be getting a new car anyway. Thus, we now drive 5 miles an hour over any bump in the road. We also solve the part time evening job for Jared, it was just a little different than what we expected.
The whole process happened within a week's time: he applied, he got called the next day, he got invited to an orientation on the merits of his resume alone, he got drug tested, and his background check cleared in record time. He starts on Monday, and given that this is a contractual position, he will work the job for 7 weeks, at which point he will be done but have a great chance to sign on with another contract through the hiring company he worked through.
He'll be working at Sonora Quest Laboratories in downtime Tempe, a mere 5 minutes away from his regular job. The travel will be perfect, and he doesn't even start until 6:30pm, giving him half an hour to grab dinner. He'll be in scrubs, sorting, cataloging and detailing the various specimens. Jared is pretty excited about this opportunity, especially since his entire income from this 2nd job will all go into savings for either a down payment on the new car, or for paying off the little car we currently have. If this works out for him, and he likes how it fits into his schedule, we will probably be looking at purchasing a new car during the end of the year clearance sales. We like the plan-it is a huge blessing.
There is one catch.
Jared won't get home until 3:30am.
Yikes.
That's a big catch. It means he will be working 2 full time jobs. We didn't anticipate that-we were looking for a part time job concentrated on the end of the week/weekends. It means he'll be gone from 8:30am until 3:30 am the next morning. I'll need to guarantee he gets to sleep until 8am each morning before he does it all over again...5 days a week.
That deserves another "Yikes".
See, this is why we are glad for the contractual nature of this job. Jared is a night owl-he rarely goes to sleep before 2am anyway. But I'm a bit concerned how working so many hours a day and having no time with the family or to relax will affect him. We will be protecting our weekends and his sleep time. I will be changing my morning teaching schedule so he won't need to worry about helping with the kids. The kids are sad they won't see Jared except for weekends, but they are in good spirits about it. Its a sacrifice, and if it doesn't work with our family, he doesn't need to sign on to another contract after the 7 weeks is up. If we feel we can keep up the schedule, then woohoo...who knows, the next contract may call for something different.
In the meantime we are preparing for this change into single parenthood. Our daily routine is going to get a little stricter since I will need to stay sane. We are starting job lists since I will need the kids to pitch in more around the house without Jared around. We are simplifying meals. Dinner is the worst time for me, usually Jared gets home from work right before dinner time, right before I teach evening sessions, and he does a great job taking care of dinner at least 3 weekdays/week...I need to make that shift in my mind that its up to me now to manage my time wisely enough that I can still manage my work schedule and make sure the kids are well provided for. It is bound to be an interesting 7 weeks for so many reasons....I'm just hoping every one of us will make it through and feel better off as a result.
Just typing all this makes me feel optimistic, like we can make this work. A good friend of mine was telling me the other day of her years as a single mom while her husband was so busy with career training....her suggestions really helped me realize we all have seasons of life like this where we pay our dues to make certain things come to pass. I have to look at how perfect this job was-the timing, the location, the work description, the ease of hire-and thank the Lord for the opportunity that he is providing Jared to make this goal happen. I guess this is all a matter of perspective, and perhaps that should be my goal for the next 7 weeks: keep my perspective in line, see the big picture, remember what matters at the end of the day.
Goals are good. We'll see how this pans out. For now we shall enjoy our weekend together, as a family, and see what the new week has in store.
Jared has been looking for part time evening work for a while. We are both acutely aware that our van is only running on borrowed time and even though we wanted to wait another year or two before needing to replace it, we just don't think it is going to last that long. We've already had to nix any trips up north or camping weekends because we know our car can't take it. The suspension is terrible on it, and we just don't see the point in spending hundreds of dollars to repair it when we know we will be getting a new car anyway. Thus, we now drive 5 miles an hour over any bump in the road. We also solve the part time evening job for Jared, it was just a little different than what we expected.
The whole process happened within a week's time: he applied, he got called the next day, he got invited to an orientation on the merits of his resume alone, he got drug tested, and his background check cleared in record time. He starts on Monday, and given that this is a contractual position, he will work the job for 7 weeks, at which point he will be done but have a great chance to sign on with another contract through the hiring company he worked through.
He'll be working at Sonora Quest Laboratories in downtime Tempe, a mere 5 minutes away from his regular job. The travel will be perfect, and he doesn't even start until 6:30pm, giving him half an hour to grab dinner. He'll be in scrubs, sorting, cataloging and detailing the various specimens. Jared is pretty excited about this opportunity, especially since his entire income from this 2nd job will all go into savings for either a down payment on the new car, or for paying off the little car we currently have. If this works out for him, and he likes how it fits into his schedule, we will probably be looking at purchasing a new car during the end of the year clearance sales. We like the plan-it is a huge blessing.
There is one catch.
Jared won't get home until 3:30am.
Yikes.
That's a big catch. It means he will be working 2 full time jobs. We didn't anticipate that-we were looking for a part time job concentrated on the end of the week/weekends. It means he'll be gone from 8:30am until 3:30 am the next morning. I'll need to guarantee he gets to sleep until 8am each morning before he does it all over again...5 days a week.
That deserves another "Yikes".
See, this is why we are glad for the contractual nature of this job. Jared is a night owl-he rarely goes to sleep before 2am anyway. But I'm a bit concerned how working so many hours a day and having no time with the family or to relax will affect him. We will be protecting our weekends and his sleep time. I will be changing my morning teaching schedule so he won't need to worry about helping with the kids. The kids are sad they won't see Jared except for weekends, but they are in good spirits about it. Its a sacrifice, and if it doesn't work with our family, he doesn't need to sign on to another contract after the 7 weeks is up. If we feel we can keep up the schedule, then woohoo...who knows, the next contract may call for something different.
In the meantime we are preparing for this change into single parenthood. Our daily routine is going to get a little stricter since I will need to stay sane. We are starting job lists since I will need the kids to pitch in more around the house without Jared around. We are simplifying meals. Dinner is the worst time for me, usually Jared gets home from work right before dinner time, right before I teach evening sessions, and he does a great job taking care of dinner at least 3 weekdays/week...I need to make that shift in my mind that its up to me now to manage my time wisely enough that I can still manage my work schedule and make sure the kids are well provided for. It is bound to be an interesting 7 weeks for so many reasons....I'm just hoping every one of us will make it through and feel better off as a result.
Just typing all this makes me feel optimistic, like we can make this work. A good friend of mine was telling me the other day of her years as a single mom while her husband was so busy with career training....her suggestions really helped me realize we all have seasons of life like this where we pay our dues to make certain things come to pass. I have to look at how perfect this job was-the timing, the location, the work description, the ease of hire-and thank the Lord for the opportunity that he is providing Jared to make this goal happen. I guess this is all a matter of perspective, and perhaps that should be my goal for the next 7 weeks: keep my perspective in line, see the big picture, remember what matters at the end of the day.
Goals are good. We'll see how this pans out. For now we shall enjoy our weekend together, as a family, and see what the new week has in store.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
A Wicked Weekend
I'll post-date this eventually since Karianna and I got to see Wicked at the beginning of this month, but I wanted to get the pics up here at the very least!
I'm super glad I got to share this with Karianna. I am sad Jared couldn't come, but it was a special weekend for us. Karianna is amped up to see Phantom of the Opera next (who knows when)-she has caught the broadway bug! A big thanks to the Hammerquists for letting us stay with them overnight-it was fun to see it with family!
3 weeks....
Wow, it has been 3 weeks since I have blogged!!!! That is a (bad) record for me! I'm usually super good at at least taking pictures as a way to bookmark what I want to blog about, but even that hasn't really happened. I guess the month of April has been crazy for some reason and time has just slipped away from me. So as a sacrificial offering, here's a random picture of the older kids sitting nicely together on the couch...touching...and not fighting. It's a moment to remember.
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