I'm a free woman!

Well, I am a free woman! Albeit, unexpectedly free. Free being a relative term.

I went to my boss at the Livery Stable to give notice that I couldn't continue to work after September 29th because of my responsibilities at home since Lewis started his new job. I wrote a professional resignation letter...something I'm sure she doesn't often receive, and got this reply, "why not make it effective today?" Of course, I was shocked and thought she said it in anger. Turns out, she quickly apologized and said she wasn't trying to get rid of me; rather, she saw that I was frazzled the last couple of weeks and figured starting immediately was better for me and was also something she could easily handle.
What are these new responsibilities? Well, any mom could imagine, but I'll tell ya anyway...

You have to peel me off the ceiling when Lewis' extra-loud alarm wakes me up at 4am. He's a very heavy sleeper. World War III wouldn't wake him, so he has a deafening alarm. Lewis leaves at 5:30am and gets home at roughly 9pm if traffic on the bridge isn't horrendous, and it is lately! Anyway, when the alarm rings, I force Lewis out of bed and doze until 6am. I wake, cattle prod, and send Sam off to school at 6:30am. I check my email, make any lunches, and I get Brenna & Will up at 7:30. We all get ready, and I take them to school at 9am. I proceed to housekeeping, errand running, and my sanity-saving workouts at the Y. In my opinion, exercise benefits a person's mind infinitely more than their body. Sam returns at 3pm and I pick Bren & Will up at 3:45pm, and then all the fun begins. I always give the kids a snack and time to chill out after school, and then we begin homework. Fortunately, homework has not been much of a struggle but still requires my attention. Sam has soccer practice on Monday. All three have religious school on Tuesday afternoon, and Brenna has gymnastics on Tuesday night. Will has soccer practice on Wednesday, and Sam has his beloved karate classes. Thursday is gymnastics again. Sam has soccer practice again on Friday. Then, our Sabbath begins on Friday at sundown--Yippee! There are soccer games on Saturday, and services at our Temple in Salisbury. Sunday is religious school, and we start over again on Monday. (Fortunately, soccer season ends in November.)

I prefer to make a healthy dinner at home, but sports have left us eating out too frequently lately. I plan to make better use of my crock pot and time while the kids are at school. It's hard to tell from what I've mentioned so far, but the kids really aren't overscheduled. They each have a sport (Sam has two), regular school and religious school. I'm the one who is overscheduled! Welcome to motherhood in America in 2008. :o)

Actually, it's been peaceful here lately because Lewis is so happy to be working full time. He still hasn't let the Elks work go (a fear thing after being laid off twice since fall '04.) So, he stops in Easton on the way home to do the Elks work or to pick it up so he can complete it at home. So far, he is usually home to help tuck the kids into bed because bedtime has run late due to sports. He also teaches a class at Sunday school. It helps pay the religious school tuition, and he likes doing it. (We'll see if our marriage survives his workaholic personality. It's is, after all, only week two.)

That's my typical schedule. I happily anticipate November. Soccer will be ending and the holiday preparations will begin. I love the winter holidays, football, leaves, the whole nine yards. I can't wait to spend some of my "extra" time on fall/winter activities. (Yes, apparently I'm a comedian too!)

So, I'm a free woman. Free being a relative term. Well, at least until I take on some other responsibility which, knowing me, won't take long! :o)