The Calm Before the Storm.

Truth Statement:  I like working.  I like my job.   I think teaching is hilarious and kids make me laugh everyday.  I am NOT destined to be a full time domestic engineer.  Also, it was a huuuuuge relief getting paid yesterday for the first time in months.

In that direct deposit moment, we went from One Income, Two Kids - OITK, to Two Incomes, Two Kids.- TITK  Phew. I love coupons but I do not love using the magic money card - neither does the hubs.

(To think that some people are DINKs or OINKs...One time, I went to visit my friend in Miami for the New Year, about a million years ago, and I realized that he was in a relationship with two other men.  Triple income, NO KIDS! TINK! Ahhh, I digress.

I was scheduled to go back to work today. So yesterday looked something like this:

image provided by NASA.  Crazy provided by massive life transitions.

The morning of New Years day felt like the calm before the storm.  We started at a friends house with a pancake party to ring in the new year!  Fun.  After the party, I started to prepare the minis for daycare and myself for work.  #1 mini has not been to daycare for about a week since his uncle was visiting.  He started screaming when I mentioned that tomorrow would be a "school day."  #2 is only 4 months old and she is starting daycare for the first time.  She just stared at #1 mini like he was a lunatic.

I hyperventilated throughout the afternoon; sterilizing bottles, labeling items and counting things repeatedly.  Admittedly, my emotions were all over the place.  I was joyful, frantic, tearful and exhausted.  To add to the anxiety of the unknown, there was a storm brewing.  A literal two day snow storm.

I have been teaching almost 10 years.  The trick with snow days is this: if you plan a lesson and set your clothes out, then there WILL be a SNOW DAY.  It almost always works.

As the evening slinked on, I obsessively checked the temperature and the humidity and the local weather station for cancellations.  I took cleansing breaths as I comforted #1 mini while he screamed MAMAMAMAAA! for 45 minutes and watched the video monitor waiting for #2 to wake up.  I was twitching and in bed by 8:30.  I mentally prepared a lesson.  I visualized a happy day.  At 9 pm, I got a call from a co-worker.  It had been declared a SNOW DAY: THURSDAY AND FRIDAY! Huzzah!

I turned off my hideous 5 am alarm.  Huuuuge relief.   I continued to do the momma thing: waking up, rubbing backs, sucking snot, changing diapers and I knew what to expect in the morning.  Then another amazing thing happened.  Daycare was miraculously OPEN.

So now, I sit at Starbucks as the snow accumulates, skinny peppermint mocha in one hand, curriculum in the other and I will lesson plan until March.

Happy Coffee, Happy New Year!