Year In Review: Part One

Well, I had might as well go ahead and do another post similar to last year's "year end" post.  It was nice to take a look later and realize what all we as a family had been through the previous year.  Hmmm....where to start...

We started the year off with my working still at the school.  It was an adjustment this past year that I never expected in a million years to be so difficult.  I guess after staying home for eight years, you just are never prepared for the way that going back to work rocks your world.  It was hard.  It still is, even after a year and three months of working.  I still feel like I will never get used to that lifestyle again.  The rushing, busy, chaotic world that a working mother tries to manage.  Life was busy before I was working outside the home.  It didn't compare to the "busy" I feel now.  Sometimes I wonder.....

The winter came and went with several school closings.  Snow days.  Delays.  Cabin fever.  Onward to spring...and we were ready for it!  We had decided to try to sell the house.  After a couple of years here, we were realizing that an office space for PJ is just much more of a need than we had thought.  His schedule permitted him to work two days each week from home.  Our house only had a dining room to use as an office, that does not have a door to shut.  After the holidays, we were considering putting the house up for sale sometime in the spring.

We spent a wonderful week with my parents in Florida for spring break.  It was a week chock full of creating memories that I will cherish forever, I'm sure.  My parents crack me up, almost as much as the little retirement community that they live in does!  We came back from spring break and one week later, our drama began.  The house fire!

I wouldn't have enough space to blog all of the different lessons we learned during our little inconvenient stay in an apartment during our house remodel.  It was only for a month!  Yet, I felt more stress during that time than I had in a very, very long time.  Two kids.  Not at your home.  Not your own bed or furniture, for that matter.  Not your own towels, even!  One bathroom.  Kids sharing a bedroom.  Tiny kitchen.  Stinky apartment building.  And yet, as inconvenient as everything was...we were so blessed that we even had that apartment!  We were safe.  Warm.  Had everything we needed.  It truly was a lesson in gratefulness.  I will still never be able to fully grasp how well our kids did during that time.  They were so much more flexible than I was!  We tried to look at the entire month as an adventure and I think the kids did a great job at that!  They didn't even fight very much while sharing a bedroom, which they were NOT used to.

After moving back in, we tried to get back to our "normal" as much as possible, so much so that we decided we would NOT move and just make it work at our house.  (See previous post "It's a mansion to someone.")  We went through the summer with the intention of staying.  Speaking of said summer...

Not sure why, but for some reason, we decided to purchase another rental over the summer.  Shortly after the house fire.  As if there had not been enough stress in our lives!  But what an adventure.  (Again!)  We purchased a house near Ball State and gained possession only days before the new renters were to move in.  We rushed in and changed out carpet, completed some minor repairs, cleaned and handed over the keys.  It was a whirlwind!  It all just happened so fast!  And it was fun!

I blinked and it was time for school to start again.  My summer did NOT last near long enough.  I felt I didn't enjoy any down time with my children.  I was so grateful for the handful of times that we enjoyed Haley's and Joe's pool last summer.  It was truly some of the best family time I had experienced in a very long time.  So grateful for the generous heart that they both have to share something so fun with our family.

Back to school and back to chaos.  It still hasn't become "normal" to me to work.  I would be lying if I said I didn't miss my days of just being MOM and WIFE.  I felt it was where I was meant to be.  Does that sound crazy?  I did, though.  I enjoyed taking care of my family and our home.  I didn't minimize at all the responsibility and never once felt the NEED to go to work.  The job fell into my lap.  But I have been so grateful for it.  Because of it, I was able to get to know more people in the community than I ever would have been able to.  And the extra income?  Let's just say I feel a huge sense of accomplishment for the year 2010 when it comes to finances.  We were able to pay things off, invest.  Be smarter than we have been able to in a very long time.  And I know it was all because of that opportunity!  I am so grateful!


So in a nutshell?  I am excited about the things we did accomplish.  Bummed a little about the things I didn't.  I feel like we focused on our fiscal health more than our physical health last year.  The next year will begin with some focus on the latter of the two!  We HAVE to make it a priority this year.  It's time.  The kids have had a decent first semester.  Could have been worse...could have been better!

Which brings us to today....I am going to need a "Part 2" for my goals for 2011!

Keeping up with the Hankins'

I have not blogged in over a month, and I am trying like heck to figure out why.  Either it's a.)  blogging is my therapy and since my life is so perfect right now, I need no therapy or b.)  my life is so incredibly busy right now that I don't know if I am coming or going.

It's b.


I don't know where to start, but how about here....

I think that I was a "stay at home mom" during the wrong flippin' years!  When your children are babies...they aren't really too busy.  I mean, yes, you chase them around the house.  But they don't have basketball practice.  And volleyball practice.  And Art Club.  And field trips.  And Cub Scouts.  And crap to sell for school.  And homework.  And FRIENDS.  I could go on.  And on.

Right now.  Tonight.  On December 9th.  I am wondering how in the heck my working mom friends do it.  I mean, without losing their minds!  I am overwhelmed beyond words.  And I only have 2 kids!  Not to mention the fact that my husband is amazing and I never feel alone in this whole process.  Its truly a team effort, so again, I am wondering why this is so hard for me.  Why can't I get it together?!?!

Here is my reality:   I am tired.  I don't have my Christmas shopping finished.  My daughter is struggling in Math and I am trying to give her some extra attention and help with homework.  We ate ham sandwiches for dinner because I didn't have it in me to cook tonight.  My house is clean but only because my dear husband hired a cleaning lady to come 2x a month to help us keep up.  That is downright embarrassing to me!  Why can't I clean my own house?  Why don't I have time?

Want to know what I miss????

I miss that little window of time when your kids are old enough to play with, talk to, have fun with.  Easy to take to the grocery.  Easy to hang out with while you are cleaning, visiting your grandparents, getting stuff done.  Maybe even that little window of time when they are in Kindergarten or something.  But not yet involved in 50 million things.  Before Math started getting harder.  When you didn't have to study for spelling tests.  And AR books were read 3 or 4 times for the next day's quizzing. 

After they have learned to read.  But before chapter books.

You know....the time of Leapsters and Kidzbop.  Disney movies.  Dora.  Car seats.  Baths.

*sigh*

Why do I have this sneaking suspicion that one day I will be listing out all of the reasons I miss the ages that my kids are RIGHT NOW?  I guess I just need to figure out how to handle the "newness" of where we are these days.  Busy schedules.  Working mom now.  Things just change, huh? 

Maybe I need to blog more.  Maybe I have neglected the very therapy that has kept me sane....

Until next time (which really should be tomorrow, seeing as I am stressed to the max!)...get some rest, for crying out loud.  6:00 am will be here before you know it!