CHAOS

Have you ever had so much going on in your life that you just don't think you can take ONE more thing to deal with? That's my life in a nutshell recently. I'm feeling totally overwhelmed with the number of things to plan, keep track of, clean, move, work, feed, the list goes on...here's an example:

1. After water in-flow into the basement has finally subsided after 2 solid months of it coming in, we're faced with packing what didn't get ruined into tubs. Music Man has yet to sort through the wet stuff, so that's stressing me out somewhat. As is the mold now grown about 3 feet up the walls and the allergy medicine my kids are on so they can breathe because of it.

2. Music Man is diligently looking for work with no bites in sight. He's at it for hours every day (except weekends, I pretty much insist on no search weekends). This causes us to be thinking about this all the time (read: stressing out! about this).

3. We have two separate housing rental options open to us. One is approved after submitting applications and getting the okay that we could have it...costs more then this place, but at least it's dry. The other home is 2/3 the size of our current place at 1,000 square feet, but it's in the running because, although we'd be SCHMOOSHED in it with all the kid's and Music Man's beloved STUFF, it's more affordable for us...and this is important because...

4. Music Man is enrolling in college to finally get that degree he's been wanting/needing for many years now. It's going to mean great things for our future as he's pursuing web design and so will earn a better income then he was making, so I'm all for this. Plus the added benefit of really helping him to feel accomplished in an area he doesn't feel very satisfied about now. Go, Music Man!...but that also leads us to...

5. Getting him registered and finding the funding for this endeavor. Financial Aid is a nightmare, but of course will be more then necessary for us as we're pretty much getting by on the hairs on our chinny-chin-chins...

6. Maestro was just in a play this past weekend, which was fun, and entailed practices and some backstage Mom volunteering by yours truly. Just one more thing I didn't really have time to do, but it was fun and brought back so many memories of the fun I had in high school performing in plays.

7. Work...work...work. Though my job only pays me for 30 hours a week, of course I have so much more work then that affords me and so am currently working for free about 5 hours a week. I know, not good, but I NEED this job with all it's crap and no benefits or time off...ever...no sick days, no holidays, no vacation pay and was just told, though they LOVE me, no raise until next Feb at least....so working two years with no raise and no time off. Can you say "Machine Mentality" . Just burn 'em up, and spit 'em out, welcome to working corporate in The Great United States of American 2010 style...have we learned NOTHING?

8. Just trying to budget on so much less money every month since Music Man was laid off is stressful and causing me to miss copious hours of sleep every night. I'm down to about 3-4 hours a night now...also not good as the heart condition tends to get a little NUTS when I'm so tired out. I actually feel asleep at 8:30 last night. Pathetic.

This is just a pop shot in time for me every day...I didn't even mention about getting the kids up and out the door each day (Music Man has been helping with driving them, which is a welcome relief), making lunches, cooking breakfast (the boys are on a cereal strike, it's nothing but complaining if they know it's cereal), cleaning (though not as often as I need or would like to), laundry, cooking suppers, making sure homework is done, everyone's fed, clean and healthy, working my job in between all these things as well, and trying to find the energy to be ...let's just suffice it to say amorous with my dear husband... and you'll have some indication of why the heck I'm so distracted, at times cranky and certainly emotional. It's just more then one person should have to handle in a lifetime, never mind all at once.

...Oh, and did I mention we're also going to have to add packing to move in here soon as well...ugh.

Wishing more peaceful times for us all, ~Peacemom