The daily grind...

I'm in the middle of my second week back teaching and feeling just a bit OVERWHELMED! I'm sure that some of it is being overextended with the family schedules, but I also can hardly believe that I've been able to juggle family and teaching for so many years.

History...

Josh was three weeks old when I returned to teaching (I plead financial necessity). I taught in Heber and Provo and would travel with him from place to place, feeding him in between lessons. This was pre-airbags, and I'd put his carseat in the front seat next to me, hoping he'd sleep through the 45 minute drives to each location. David's mom was great and would watch him on many of the days I taught in Heber. But what a nightmare! I believe I taught 4 or 5 days a week at that point.

Sophia was 6 weeks old when I started again...a little better! Things were ok until we moved into our new house and I taught 6 days a week. There were babysitting woes galore. I remember teaching upstairs and just hearing Sophie cry and cry and cry. Terrible! Another favorite memory from that time was when Sophie decided to leap off the bench in the teaching lab, over and over, swinging on the curtains until the curtain rod was pulled out of the drywall. The babysitter (who was not asked to come again) said, "Well, I TOLD her to stop." WHAT? You take the one year old OFF the curtains and tell her NO.

Kate was 3 months old when I started after her birth, and I was down to 3 or 4 days a week. I was concerned about babysitting, prayed a lot about it and was sent my wonderful Megan who babysat for the next couple of years. She was a lifesaver, and although there have definitely been hurdles, this time period was the easiest teaching juggle. New problem though...my teaching hours were now all the more valuable because of Josh's school hours. I was a little grateful for the teaching hours pre first-grade. I had had lots of time with the kids before I taught, and a little time doing something I feel competent at was a nice break. Now, the most valuable hours with the kids are the very ones I need for teaching...School definitely complicates my career choice!

So now I have two kids in school full-time. Here is our current schedule:

J & S school 8:25-3:00
Kate preschool MWF am
Monday: Sophie violin lesson 5:15, Josh cello lesson 6:15, then dinner and FHE
Tuesday: Sophie gym 4-7:30, I teach 4:30-6:15, Josh soccer practice 5:30-7:00
Wed: I teach 3:30-6:45, Josh has scouts from 7-8
Thurs: Sophie gym 4-7:30, I teach 3:30-5:45, Josh soccer 6:00-7:30 20 minutes away, I have Viva Voce rehearsal 7:30-9:30
Friday: Josh soccer games all over the valley (tomorrow is in Ogden, next week in American Fork)
Saturday: Soccer game

CRAZY. As I have looked at this schedule, I recognize something has to give. We'll see what it is...