Time for change

No this is not the Presidents speech - it's my deciding whether I should go back to work full time. The opportunity has now crossed my path and I need to get up the nerve to jump in. I'm pretty sure I'm ready, but it still scares me to to think how I can manage all that I'm doing now with increased hours. I know I shouldn't complain. There are many people still out of work. I think I'm going to go for it. My family could use the money and I'm good at what I do. I only have a few weeks left of Elementary school PTA (which is crazy demanding) so I should be good to go from then on. I hope this works and I hope I can stay sane through the transition!

Firsts....Lasts...

My youngest is about to finish elementary school and while this has been a roller coast year and I thought I was so ready for the next step - I find myself starting to get emotional about all the "lasts" we're going through. I'm tired of all the fund-raising; the bake sales, car washes, pasta dinners, soliciting of donations, etc. I'm tired of all the parent volunteering and involvement. I feel like 5th grade consumes more of my time than my paying job! I've been quoted saying "I'm so done with this school." But just as life flashes before your eyes, I'm staring to get mushy and sad about the end of these things. No. I don't want to do them anymore, but "I'm never going to do them again" is weighing heavily on my heart and mind. My daughter is growing up. I will never have to do ____ again. I'm starting to have nightmares and crying fits in the middle of the day. It's so bittersweet. While I'm glad the demands on my time are coming to an end, I'm starting to feel sad that my needs (in that way) are no longer needed. I will just be another house on the street - not Mrs. ____'s house. I'm crying as I write this... I'm happy for my children to grow up and become their own responsible adults, but I'm sad to see into the future where one day, they'll fly the coop.

Great read!

Upon recommendation from a very close friend, (and fellow scary mommy) I just read "Scary Mommy" This was a great read for all mommies out there! I had some wonderful belly laughs and some tears - but best of all, it was an awesome feeling that I am not alone out there! I find that as moms we are a special breed. We have been through hell and back and have lived to talk about it! There are stories that I could tell, that I am not entirely proud of, but I know someone else has probably gone through the same thing. We should stand together - and not judge each other! My kid can be just as gross as yours! We should sit down together, have a glass of wine and laugh about our craziness! It's for our own sanity to take comfort in friends and other scary mommies. I encourage you to read this book, have some laughs and relax - God knows WE deserve it! http://www.scarymommy.com/

that one parent that just gets under your skin...

Let me start by saying that the group of parents that are helping with 5th grade activities and fund-raisers this year are great and plentiful! It really has been a great turn out, with many hands making for much lighter work! We just held our annual family dinner where the 5th graders serve their families and anyone else from the school that wants to participate. The many moms (and some dads) that worked their butts off gathering donations, securing permits, sending countless emails, and selling raffle tickets in order for the night to go off without a hitch - are relieved that it's over. Not only that, but it went well! The kids were great, bellies were full and we made an outstanding profit to help with our moving up activities!
Now turning to the dark side... I'm sure there's always one of these parents out there but that doesn't make it easier to deal with. There is a mom who feels the need to criticize and compare every event we've hosted! She had the nerve to say that our dinner was the most poorly run event she'd seen! How dare she! The kids did great, we made a better profit than previous years and......oh yeah, SHE DIDN'T LIFT ONE FINGER TO HELP!!!! I'm sorry but if you think you can do a better job than the rest of us - then by all means, get off your ass and do something!

Ugh!

I just need to vent - I love my grandmother to pieces but does she think I'm just sitting around eating bon-bons all day? I don't have time to chat on the phone for hours. She asks if I called that distant relative to see how they are doing lately! Umm, no, I didn't get to it with the million other things I've been doing. If I make it through this week alive, I'll call them! I know we are all busy moms - and at one point many years ago, she was too. This week alone has me running more errands for girl scouts and PTA functions that are happening on the weekend - than I even do for my own family! I can't wait until this week is over so I can catch up on my regular chores then I'll think about calling those people gram...

Spring is finally here!

I love this time of year, not only for the better weather but for being able to start my vegetable garden. Usually by now, I've started seeds inside, but this year time escaped me. Instead, I started today by turning over the soil in my existing garden bed, and using an edger and rototiller to start a second planting bed. I planted different types of tomatoes, beans, squash, carrots, lettuce, onions, radishes, eggplant and some other miscellaneous veggies. I hope that by starting from seed this late will still return some great produce!

who am I...

I am a wife, mother, billing coordinator, volunteer, writer, advice-giver, taxi driver, schedule maker, keeper of all things possible, etc. But, first and foremost I am a woman - strong, powerful, and emotional. I have to go back to the basics to find the real me. I get so caught up with all the things I need to do to take care of my family, job and responsibilities, that I sometimes have to remember who I am... I am proud to be a woman - so capable of so much. I believe in feminism. I once marched on the Washington Mall for woman's rights. I've protested companies that had ties to any kind of suffering. I like to read about what's going on in the world - and try my best to be an active member of trying to change things. I hold a bachelor's degree in Community and Human Services. I like to help and encourage strength for people to help themselves. I'm an avid animal lover and don't believe in shelters that kill. I financially and morally support several organizations that I believe in. I believe that one person can change the world. I actually enjoy my role as a girl scout leader to positively make a difference in young girls' lives. I also believe that THEY can change the world. I am woman, hear ME roar!
One of my most favorite pieces of writing is something I found over 20 years ago: "Because woman's work is never done and is underpaid or unpaid or boring or repetitious and we're the first to get the sack and what we look like is more important than what we do.......and for lots and lots of other reasons we are part of the women's liberation movement." (Author unknown to me)