Last night, I was up until 4:15am and then slept until 8:30am.  Because I’m an idiot.  Because I didn’t bit off MORE than I can chew (I did finally grow out of that) but I have bitten off ALL that I can chew.

At the moment… I have no idea how I’m going to make it to Sunday…

Before you read all of what follows, please realize that I am a project manager by trade.  Juggling 42 plates in the air is “what project managers do”.  It is NOT for everyone.  Although I have not held a “big” project management job since (thinking) 2005, I think some people are just wired to work that way.  My paternal grandmother was like this, too.  Somewhere, sometime–someone said “Everyone has a different sized plate.  Some people have a saucer and some people have a platter.”  I have a platter.  For you, what I’m about to list would have you yelling at me “YOU HAVE WAY TOO MUCH GOING ON!”.  I have a lot going on.  It is not “too much” yet.  I will not be allowing it to get to “too much”.  But I am definitely more busy than I want to be and this runs through late April.

Both kids are now home every day where they used to each have 1 day at a coschool program. It definitely wasn’t challenging them academically but it was giving them some group social time 9am-2pm the days they were there.  At 2:30pm on a Wednesday the owner called for a parent from each family in the teen program for “a quick meeting at drop-off” the next morning.  Where she told us it was the last day of the teen program.  A “business decision”.  That couldn’t wait to the end of the month.  Yup.  You read that right.  This and some “lack of communication” issues caused us to pull Girly.

I’m taking a 5 credit lab biology course that I’m passing with an A but not finding time to study for.  I took it to fill in gaps and we haven’t reached the point yet where I have enough gaps to pull my grade down for lack of studying the material. This is Friday nights (lecture) and Saturday mornings (lab).

I missed both Friday and Saturday classes last week for a science competition just over the state line for the middle school team I coach.  I’ll miss Saturday class again this week as we head into Regionals (which determine if we advance to State).  And I had to create the event my team is responsible for running.  I still have to print out all of the test packets and pack up 38 bags of supplies (one per team) to be used in the event.

Simultaneously, I’m taking a 3 graduate credit science teaching methods course on Monday and Wednesday nights that I’m struggling to keep up with because…

I’m teaching 11 Outschool courses per week including Tuesday nights.  I’m also still teaching science classes in my house–but only one day/week.

Also participating in a food coop that has been an enormous financial help to my family, but eats up 9:30am-noon on Wednesdays. Girly used to not be home on Wednesdays and now she is. I come home from this and go RIGHT into teaching an Outschool course. #hotmess

Two remaining bookkeeping and business consulting clients–one of which requires me to get on the phone to QuickBooks for.

Tax season starting soon. The CPA I do tax overflow work for didn’t have nearly enough work for me last year and I’m kind of banking on that this year.  But I got an e-mail today to “get started”.

Trying to work out what I will be teaching to other people next year. I have to have it figured out within the next few weeks. I know some but not others.  A lot of this revolves around…

Trying to figure out what my own kids need for next year, where and how they will learn those things, and whether that requires specific days/times to be available.

Considering seeing if I can teach at some of the local private schools next year to bring in extra income (or offset tuition costs if my own kids partially enroll). Those meetings are scheduled.

Working with someone else to potentially open a middle school for Sept. 2020. Not sure about that. I have another friend opening a school and I’d rather just run a satellite of her school since we’re on the same page about what and how kids need to learn; and she has enough great ideas that I don’t feel like it would be all on me. Rare gem.

And sitting on the board of a gifted school that is trying to open it’s doors this Sept.  I haven’t done as much as I should with this (very large and impressive) group since January, but I need to check in there.

Girly is definitely NOT handling any of this well at all.  She needs Mama time.  I’ve been more conscious about wearing our matching slippers (my birthday gift) and pajamas.  Such small gestures that mean the entire world to her.  It’s what I can do for now.

On the flip, Husbeau and I have made a much stronger effort to show BigGuy more loving kindness and physical affection (hugs).  We are seeing more clearly how his autism spectrum diagnosis has impacted his human relationships; and we are trying to make him feel more loved, accepted and supported by taking a step back when things are rough and just loving him through it.  It’s been really good.

It’s a lot for sure; but I’m as excited as I am (currently, but thankfully not usually) exhausted.  This week is the worst of it for the semester.  For the year for that matter.  I’m feeling the squeeze, but thankful for many hands–including my husband’s.  He’s an equal opportunity parent and as time marches on, he’s become a more actively participating partner in the adulting.  Right now, that’s a really good thing.

But yeah–I’m planning my time in salt water come August.  Enjoy the picture with this post.  It’s compliments of my dining room–which is currently serving as staging for this weekend’s competition.  It’s about to get way messier…