What snow days and sick days taught me

I have long suspected that once the kids were all in school, I might like being a stay at home mom.  Now I believe I have proof.

As I type this, it is shortly before 1:00pm. on a Wednesday…hump day, and I have yet to go to work this week.

We started the week with two snow days.  I had to take a sick day today for a combination of reasons.  Andy and Zach skipped town for a college visit as we are at a deadline on a college decision here, but we have no decision.  Savannah had a midday orthodontist appointment to make up for the missed appointment on Monday when the office was closed due to weather - in over four years of children wearing braces, I have never had this experience.  The office works really well with us to get after school appointments, but I knew that would be impossible given the circumstances, and as Savannah closes in on three years of imprisoned teeth, she is very anxious to stay on schedule and get her freedom back.  So, as much as I hate to give up a sick day, and especially one during a three day work week, I am glad we got that appointment because she is getting close, and now her appointments are much closer together as they try to speed up this process.

Snow days do little to convince me that I would like being a stay at home mom.  They usually fall at a time during the week when I am really tired.  Therefore, I waste them on sleeping late and accomplishing little, and the kids are all here or at least one of them is.  However, this week, we used Monday to register Savannah for the ACT - no small feat.  If you have yet to do this with your high schooler, it is a lengthy process.  We worked through that and then started gathering the paperwork Savannah needs to get an official ID so that she can prove that she is who she says she is on test day.  Savannah will turn 16 the day after the test, so she will not yet have a learner's permit.  She did not want to wait for the summer date, and I really wanted her to test while chemistry and algebra 2 are still fresh.

On Tuesday, we had a cable man in our house for hours as we switched providers.  Andy took the plunge for a cheaper rate, and he is most excited about being able to use his phone as a TV remote when Julia loses the TV remote (happens daily).  I am not yet sure how I feel about this phone remote thing as Andy is a practical jokester, so he switches channels from other rooms.  I guess it will be fine when the newness wears off.

Today, however, all of my kids went to school.  I managed encouraging them to pack snacks and lunches (a foreign job for me as morning duty belongs to Andy).  I signed an agenda and got everyone to the bus or school on time.  I also loaded and set the dishwasher, ran the dryer and set the washer to run a cycle later in the day when I would be home.  I managed Jazzercise and a quick shower before picking Savannah up for her appointment.  While I have yet to put on make-up, I feel really accomplished, inspired and motivated. I have Wyatt's recently outgrown jeans (a cause for celebration in our house as he grows slowly) stacked and ready to give away. I think when the kids come home today, I will hang out with them a bit instead of seeking the refuge and solitude of my room for an hour before all the evening chaos hits.  Maybe this will then help them forgo the habit of late which is hanging out as a family on my bed at bedtime.  I enjoy the time with them, but 10:00 is late when facing a 5:20 alarm.  I think I could really enjoy this at home thing on a daily basis.

  Don't get me wrong.  I love my job.  Other than the brutal reality of that early morning alarm, I rarely have days where I am bothered by going to work.  Usually, those days where work bothers me, I am bothered by one of two things -1. figuring out what to wear - yes, you read that right.  I really need to update my wardrobe.  2. I am having to miss something for one of my kids, usually a program that would only take me away from work for an hour or two, but that is not an option.  I can't leave early or come in late.  I have had to take the whole day off for a 5 minute blood draw 10 minutes from my work location.  That inflexibility bothers me sometimes.  I do, however, love the people with whom I work the closest, and I love the kids and the job itself.

While I know that I can't become a stay at home home for a variety of reasons, I love the little glimpse I got today.  I know it would be so much work, but I think our house would run so much smoother if I had the opportunity, and I might even learn to cook!  Now that's a kind of scary thought :)