I think I’ve bitten off more than I can chew this Summer, and we haven’t gotten to the 4th of July yet!
I want to get my ducks in a row, but I don’t know how many ducks I’ve got, if they are all mallards or some other variety, and they all want to swim in different directions.
Part of my stress is that I’m running around organizing B”s band
participation, that I thought would be easy, because I’d outsourced it.
The free YMCA band will let him play since he can read music, but he
needs a loud enough instrument, so ocarina isn’t enough. So I borrowed
a flute from my upstairs neighbor H, the newly sworn in lawyer who
is getting married soon.
I’d planned on getting the kids home early from a play date so that I could make supper early, and go to the music store 20 min away to get the flute pads repaired. But I was winsomely asked for longer time to play Pokemon, so I let them play longer, then they needed longer, and I brought them home without a clear champion. Also, I had one hour until the music store closed.
DH thinks more creatively than I do; he suggested that I go by myself to get the flute repaired, which I did. I wondered what he would feed them as I grabbed an apple and ran out the door. When I got to the music store, it turned out that flute was infested with moths which ate the felt and fish skin pads (pads are made out of FISHSKIN? fish have skin?) so I rented another flute for the summer, if B loves it, we’ll get the other one repaired and fix the case – or maybe keep renting if it’s cheaper in the long run.
On the way home, I bought myself the sneakers I’ve needed for a while: I have planters fasciitis and need new, springy shoes every 3 months. I also bought a denim skirt and pair of shorts, now I have 4 bottoms that fit me since K was born.
DH had made tuna fish sandwiches, and as I devoured mine, my mom and our friend K showed up with left over brownies and ice cream from celebrating his 30th birthday with the missions committee at church, they drive together to save gas.
We all walked to the park this morning so I could arrange the lessons with B’s band leader. Then I forgot that a one hour rehearsal isn’t one hour, it’s two hours
counting walking over, then half an hour getting the kids to say goodbye
to the other kids, and all the while K was not napping and got
herself in a tizzy (no private places I could nurse her and watch M
at the same time at the play ground)
Now I need to drive back to the music store again to buy him a book.
Is all outsourced schooling so complex? Maybe just the first few days
until we get in the swing of things? I just forgot it wouldn’t be easy,
then felt like a wimp for finding it to be hard. Actually, I’m finding getting the three of them out the door hard if DH is not around, I’m finding it hard to find M’s shoes even if he is here!
The point isn’t do everything
quickly and easily, but I find myself acting as if it were.
I also need to be more decisive. Be the Mom, Chris, Be the Mom!
Oy– I know what you're saying. We've had to limit the out-of-house activities this summmer to 1) farm. (And piano once a week, but since it's on the day I work, either my folks or Sam have to do it, and I don't have to be the Mom…)
We hung an over-the-door on the door next to the door to the garage, and the kids are now doing very well being responsible for their own shoes… every little bit helps, right?
Annie