just one more thing

Know how we all try to keep our lives/activities/obligations in balance? You say yes to a few things, and lately I really do try to think it through before I agree…which wasn’t always the case…and you think you’ve got the plates organized pretty well? And then, out of nowhere, they come crashing down because EVERYTHING is happening the same hour, day, week, etc? This is where we are, or were, yesterday. So it’s April 15th, N’s ACTUAL birthday, and even though we’ve already celebrated, I wanted to make it so that it didn’t just seem like a regular old day for him, know what I mean? So the night before we baked cupcakes for his class, and I also baked 2 other cakes because I was scheduled to teach a nutrition unit to some 9th graders at school and I was having them taste-test 2 different cakes (one normal, one without fat). Anyway, we got that done. They were ready to go. Tuesday morning we all get up and the day went as follows:

7:00 T leaves for work, takes cupcakes to school with him because I don’t trust N to actually make it to school on the bus with 24 cupcakes still intact

7:42: Drop N off at bus stop

7:48: Get gas in the car because I was truly was running on fumes

8:00 Return home to finish getting ready, get and get E dressed

8:30 Drop E off at babysitter, head to hospital to work for a few hours. Hear from supervisor that there are a few extra things they think I’ll be needing to do while planning for the upcoming fundraiser this Saturday. Great.

11:30 leave hospital to get blood drawn for upcoming drs appointment this week

12:00 drive through fast food place to get some food for lunch. Eat a not very satisifying chicken quesadilla while trying not to drip it all over  myself on the freeway

12:30 Arrive at school to teach. Cart in cakes, papers, etc

2:00 Leave school after teaching 9th graders. Think about how annoying some 9th graders are. Stop to get an iced coffee from McD’s.

2:30 Arrive at counseling office to see usual Tuesday clients.

2:45: First client doesn’t show up. Doesn’t call. Feel annoyed that my kids are at the babysitter while I’m sitting doing nothing. T picks up boys from babysitter.

5:00 Run out of counseling office to get home to eat dinner and get to N’s t-ball game

5:03 Counseling office calls asking why I left when I have another client waiting for me. “Did I know about this client?” I ask. “Well, no, we forgot to tell you. But they’re sitting here waiting for you.”

5:04 Call T to tell him situation. Find out that N is not feeling well and doesn’t think he wants to play t-ball tonight. +THANK YOU+ I think, and then feel guilty for being grateful that my kid is sick on his birthday.

5:06 Return to counseling office to meet with new family, talk with client

5:55 Call T, find out N would like to eat at Carl’s Jr for dinner. Plan to meet them there.

6:10 Arrive at Carl’s Jr and order chili-cheese fries, recognizing that this is a stress-eating order, and feel okay about  it.

7:25 Take boys home while T stops by store to get some medicine for N

7:45 Convince boys that they should watch a little bit of Scooby Doo while snuggling with me on the couch (it took a lot of convincing, I’m sure you can guess)

8:45 Boys are in bed.

8:50 collapse into recliner to watch the end of the Biggest Loser finale. Feel a little jittery. Not sure it’s all the caffeine today, or just the day.

10:00 Bed. Finally.

This morning? I’m looking around at the chaos that is my house. I’m trying to convince N (who is home sick from school today) that E in fact did NOT leave his garbage truck out in the middle of the floor JUST BECAUSE he knew N would stub his toe on it. That’s okay though. At least I’m still in my pj’s. I find that I generally feel better about the world when I get a good amount of time to wear some sort of elastic-waisted pant and hooded sweatshirt in the morning.

I know there are people whose everyday is like my day yesterday. But I’m just not a 10-hour straight kind of girl. I seriously wouldn’t make it. Hopefully the stars won’t align themselves that way again too soon.