Mid-Year Reflection

February break is over – in fact the whole month is over.  As I realize that we are more than half way done with the school year, I reflect on September (actually, August) when the kids went back to school.  There was so much anticipation about going to school. 

My son was starting second grade in a looping class so he and I were thinking about his teacher and who was going to be in his class.  I mean he would be spending two years with these people, we hoped the class meshed well.  One of my daughters was starting full day kindergarten.  There were no worries with her though, she couldn’t wait to start.  And my youngest daughter was going to school for the first time.  This was the first time that all my kids would be in school and I would have a couple of hours to myself.  So I, too, was full of anticipation as well. 

In the weeks leading up to the first day of school, I began planning all the things that I would be able to do with my new found time. I was going to exercise everyday.  To accomplish this I was going to run the three mile loop in my very hilly neighborhood!  You can probably guess how long that lasted.  Just long enough for me to go out and buy some cute exercise clothes! 

I was also going to cook dinner every day, in the morning.  This way I would have time in the afternoon to play with the kids and help with homework.  Great idea in theory and the first day of school I actually cooked, not one, but two meals!  I haven’t cooked in the morning since!

The last thing I was going to do was clean the house.  It had been so neglected over the summer.  I knew that with all my free time I’d have the house so clean that I could move onto larger cleaning projects, like washing windows and painting bathrooms.  Looking around the house right now I can honestly say that it looks just like it always does.  The windows have hand prints and the bathroom isn’t re-painted, but maybe it’s a little less dusty.  I definitely vacuum and mop the floors more. 

The night before the first day of school I made the kids’ lunches.  I always do this in the beginning of the school year and I think to myself how much better it is to make the lunches at night.  It makes the morning less stressful.  But do I still make lunches at night?  The answer is no.  I lasted about two weeks with that.  By the end of the day, after the kids are in bed and the kitchen is cleaned up, all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch TV.

My kids have grown so much since the first day of school, physically and mentally.  They are doing all sorts of amazing things.  I have changed, too, I guess.  I’m more realistic about what can be done in three hours so I prioritize things better.  Example: grocery shopping alone trumps exercise any day!