Summer Summary and Fall Kick OFF

September is insanely busy for our family. Ask any teacher and they will tell you that September is like tax season for tax preparers – crazy hours and crazy stress. This year seemed extra ridiculous. Our calendar was booked every second of the day. I had a change in my job which required new creativity to make it work. Friday before the students came to school, I was asked to change classrooms after I had worked the entire week getting my old room complete. Our church has fall life group kick off which we host and lead…more work to add to the plate. Throw in out of town guests, and watching my nephew and things can quickly get out of control. Oh not to mention but David is now putting extra time in on a side job and had to work extra hours at his regular job. So you get the point…everyone’s lives are crazy busy these days.
Getting to my main point…I started feeling a lot of stress, which is very unusual for me. I can usually juggle multiple plates and wear various hats and enjoy doing it. However, Anden was the main reason I felt added stress. Not because he had poor behavior or any unusual issues…. I just love him so darn much!!!! Oh the guilt of a working mom (although, I also experience the guilt of a stay-at-home mom in the summer).
And the BIG event this September was the start of Anden’s education career. He is going to a half day preschool, which my sister takes him and picks him up. Why was this event so traumatic for me? I couldn’t attend his open house because it was my first day of school. I don’t get to pick him up and ask how his day was. I don’t get to drop him off and kiss him goodbye. I don’t get to attend his holiday parties or field trips. I am missing out! Are we making the right decisions for him? Is he too young for preschool? Do I have enough patience and energy at the end of the day for him? Is there something David and I should drop? Is he adjusting to his new schedule? What are my priorities?

The summer is easy to prioritize because it’s all about Anden. I have all the time in the world, no work, no life groups, basically not a stress in the world. This summer was comfort and refreshment! Anden and I got in our own little routine…
•walks to the park in the morning
•workouts at the YMCA and then a dip in the pool
•weekly music classes and gym classes
•riding bikes or scooters around and around the cul-de-sac
•popsicles on the front porch
•creating cool creatures out of play dough or painting a mater pieces with finger paints
•weekly trips to the mall to run around in the playroom (ok this one might be about me)
•touring museums and discovering local festivals and outdoor concerts
•Barnes and Nobles and the library for story time
•Building sandcastles at the beach and splashing around the pool (his favorite)


And a highlight of our summer routine was that we were always home for his two hour nap time!! What a dream come true for me! Time to do the house work, make the phone calls, and best of all time for ME! Another feat that Anden and I conquered was potty training which wasn’t as horrible as I had braced myself for. Anden did great! And why wouldn’t he because he is the most amazing two year old ever! I loved every minute of the sweet summer days with my little buddy.

So now that summer days have vanished and fall has barged in with its entire giant agenda, I am adjusting and still feeling disappointed with the separation of my little guy. But I am finding comfort in knowing that Anden really does enjoy going to school and is so resilient with change. Since things have started to settle down, I have once again found my priorities – number one has to be God, number two has to be family, and number three is whatever can fit in without disrupting number one and two priorities.