Reactive

When the school year started we had a pretty good family rhythm going. We planned meals ahead of time, we planned activities ahead of time, and we talked through our schedules. We came home from work at a consistent time and kept mostly to a routine.

The last two weeks have been grueling for us. We have gone through a lot physically, emotionally, and mentally. Our routine has been tossed about and we are not ahead of the bowling ball anymore, we are stuck in the thumb hole and trying not to get smashed. We are reactive, no longer proactive.

I think last night it all came to a head. Q is ready for a break at work, and came home late. I don't start dinner until he gets home (lessons learned the hard way). I had no idea what we were having for dinner anyway. I never did get dinner. Q got home and we decided to go for a bike ride to get dinner (after playing outside with Slane for a long time). We should have been folding laundry, mowing the lawn, putting things away in the kitchen, etc. So we go biking but I don't know what I want, just that I need to eat now, and he doesn't want anything. We find ourselves at McNally's wandering the isle. Slane sees bananas and asks for one, so we get her a banana, which she eats most of and then squishes the rest all over the cart. We decide to buy a block of cheese. We pay and leave, but now it is dark and we can't bike because we don't have a headlight, so we have to walk. While we are figuring this out, Slane decides she wants to eat the cheese, so Q runs back inside and buys a cheesestick. We try to leave again, successfully this time, and we walk home, singing Slane's version of the ABC's (now I know my, now I know my, now I know my abc's). I eventually had a bowl of cereal that Slane insisted I share with her.

After this weekend, I think there is a chance we can get caught up again. Q's big work events will be over, my issues are almost over, and conferences time at school means I have 6.5 hours after school to get caught up there. Q and Slane are taking a vacation soon, and maybe they can chill for a while.