This was the weekend before October break we had just finished a great hike and were HANGRY. That is a crystal light right there in my drink…yes I am off soda again..I had a little slip this week but I am rededicated. I have noticed when I am stressed or tired I want a diet coke. MMMM Diet Coke. I need to reach for water instead. I could easily beat myself up and think how lame I am for drinking soda OR I could remember that life is a marathon and my best is good enough. I can try again because I am not sprinting to the end of my life. I am jogging and learning along the way.
Boy am I learning.
Wednesday is a marathon day for me.
I think sometimes it is easy for us to be critical of each other. We think we do things better or more efficient. The truth is we can’t compare our lives to each other or the way we do things to another person. We have different tasks asked of us, we do different jobs. All of us. I am sure my life looks very easy to some people. While someone may look at my day on Wednesday and say, I have no idea how you do it. The truth is I am not perfect, I am learning a lot about being a better person, Mother, daughter, friend and teacher every day. EVERY SINGLE DAY. I can’t stop and count the things I didn’t do. I HAVE to stop and think of all the things I DID do. I can’t beat myself up or compare the way I mother to someone with a totally different set of circumstances than I have. I have to run my marathon the best I know how. I have to run it with the grace of God. I have to, or I would never make it. I have to live my life, evaluate and improve where improvements need to be made. That is it.
- Wake up 5:45 AM Shower
- 6:00 AM get dressed, wake kids up
- make protein shakes/get breakfast for kiddos.
- 6:15- hair, make-up
- 6:45- Make sure kids have brushed their teeth, dressed, shoes, agendas signed, do Ellie’s hair pack up for the car.
- gather lunches
- get in car, family prayer, drive kids to their Dad’s house
- 7:00 drop off kids
- 7:15 get to school
- check emails
- write morning work on the board
- last minute touches on lesson plans
- tidy desk
- make copies
- talk to co-workers
- check mail box in the front office
- pick up class
- kids make lunch choices
- I take attendance
- get everyone situated
- organize lunch money to be sent to lunch lady
- answer any parent notes
- 8:05- Pledge of allegiance
- grade morning work
- 8:15- Math lesson I am teaching or roaming the room and answering questions this whole time
- 9:15- Specials class goes to PE or Music etc. I maybe run to Joanne’s for a last minute item I need for a lesson that day, or work on lesson plans, weekly spelling email or class blog, etc. IF I don’t have a meeting scheduled during that time.
- 10:00-class returns, Math until 10:20
- 10:20-Spelling repeat teaching and answering questions for every subject
- 10:50- Reading lesson Break for YOGA or jumping jacks
- 11:40- get ready for lunch
- walk class to lunch make sure everyone has their lunches or lunch card
- rush around to wash my hands, grab my lunch, use the restroom, make a parent phone call, or respond to an email…oh and try to eat lunch
- 12:15- pick up class silent reading time for 10 minutes..while I take afternoon attendance. I have sat down for maybe 15 minutes total today so far. (Prep for Science or History)
- Sometimes a migraine starts to set in right about here.
- I read aloud to the class for 10 minutes
- Teach Grammar lesson or Writing Lesson
- 1:30 begin Science or History
- 1:45-recess I have duty about twice a week so I am on the playground with the students
- 2:00- Continue History or Science
- 2:30 Fill out agendas, hand out homework, tidy room, play a fun math game
- 3:00 bell rings
- 3:05 rush to parent pick up-duty
- 3:20 back to the class room, change date for the next morning and hand out morning work on each students desk or write it on the board
- Check emails for any important information about the next day, or answer parent questions
- 3:45 go to pick up my own children
- rush to the store to get groceries, or run errands
- Drop Aydan at scouts at 5:00
- 5:15-5:45 sit with Ellie at the table to help her with her homework, read together while snuggling
- 5:45 Ellies Piano teacher arrives to giver her a lesson
- leave to pick Aydan up from scouts
- home at 6:15 Aydan begins piano lesson
- I leave for a 2 mile or so jog because at this point in the day my shoulders feel like they are touching my earlobes they are so tight and I have a lot of work to do still
- Home at 6:45
- Get Aydan started on homework or quiz him on spelling
- start dinner
- Ellie sets the table
- 7:30 we eat dinner
- clean up, tidy, sweep, kids shower for next day and jammies
- 8:00 make lunches and do dishes
- 8:15 all of us upstairs on my bed for scriptures and family prayer
- 8:30 kids brush teeth
- I tuck each one in bed
- load a load of laundry, take one out to fold
- check emails, facebook,
- 9:00 shower, teeth brushed..face cream IF I remember
- read scriptures, personal prayer sometimes cry out of exhaustion
- Lay in bed and wonder if I am doing enough for my children..worry….have a talk with Heavenly Father peace and slip into sleep
- 5:45 the alarm rings and I think is it already Thursday? It is. Here we go again.
