Some conversations from this week

Well I guess I will go ahead and get my proudest parenting moment from this week off of my chest.

My 5th grader walks up to me in the hall the other day and says, 

Hey Mom
Me: Yes Dear
5th Grader: You will not believe what you did in my lunch! 
Me: Um what?
5th Grader: You left the plastic on my cheese in my sandwich.
Me: How did you find that out?
5th Grader: I bit into it.
Me: Oops 

This same 5th grader fell down REALLY hard off of a stool while sitting at the kitchen counter and smacked her neck on the counter top. She and I were both on the floor looking at it and she was crying and so on and so forth. 

Me: (To 2nd grader and Kindergartner) Guys - go get an ice pack please
2nd Grader and Kindergartner: (scrambling) I am ON it!!!!!!! 

Then minutes later 
Kindergartner: So um Mom - could you turn on the television for me - you know - when this crisis is over?  

Compassionate little dude isn't he? 

This week I subbed for the music teacher. The kids and I were talking about it: 

2nd Grader: So Mom - you can teach music? 

Me: Sure - no problem - I would say I am pretty comfortable with most anything at school. 

2nd Grader: But NOT PE - right Mom?

Me: True that Baby Girl. True that...... 

A Time of Transition and Yes - the Bowheads Blog is still alive!!!!

Well my friends,

To say that the last month or two (or three or four) has been crazy would be a bit of an understatement. The summer flew by - I mean literally flew by. I was trying to enjoy it and we went to Africa and all.

Still feels strange saying that - yep - went to Africa and all.....

Anyway - I was VERY concerned about my mental well being when the baby started Kindergarten. I was worried that I would be bored. I was worried that I would be sad. I was worried that I would be lonely.

So I decided that I would finish my Masters degree. (That I had started and was about to finish when we were surprised by aforementioned babies birth.)

You know - so I wouldn't be bored or sad or lonely.......

Then I decided that I would take on a part time work from home job managing my kids Club soccer team. (You know - emailing out reminders, answering parents questions, helping keep the coaches organized etc.)

You know - so I wouldn't be bored or sad or lonely.......

Then I decided that I would go ahead and take all of the tests to teach in Massachusetts. (Stinking Massachusetts - no reciprocity...)

You know - so I wouldn't be bored or sad or lonely......

Then I decided that I would go ahead and start substitute teaching (only at my kids school and only a few days a week).

You know - so I wouldn't be bored or sad or lonely.......

Then I decided that I REALLY like substitute teaching and they, in fact, seem to be fans of me so I have been up at school - a lot.

You know - so I wouldn't be bored or sad or lonely.............

Well guess - what?

I am NOT bored or sad or lonely 

I am

in fact

In the Weeds.

I have also remembered that I am, in fact, a teacher. I love being a teacher and I am good at being a teacher. 

That has been the most liberating thing for me to say to myself. My entire self worth is not wrapped up in my husband and my children. 

They are absolutely the center of my world and my number one priority but it turns out,

they are not the only thing that I am good at. 

I can't tell you how much more sane I am for having figured that out. 

That said, I am also figuring out some other stuff. 

Like: 

How to cook with your crockpot when you are gone during the time that you normally put your crock pot meals together. Do I start it at 8:30 on low or 3:30 on high? I have really mucked up some trusty recipes figuring that one out.

How to manage having three children in elementary school and all of the organization that entails. I have figured out a GREAT mudroom paper/keep up with library books etc system that I really will blog about soon. 

The best news is

I am not lonely or bored or sad. 

 and that 

at the end of the day

is really awesome.