It's been a busy start to June for us. Mostly for Brian, but it affects me, too!
This poor guy has had way too many events this week. Probably the first scheduled thing was his yearly band festival, in which he takes his junior high and senior high bands to be judged and evaluated. Nerve-wracking, indeed! This field trip was yesterday morning through the late afternoon, as it was two hours away from his school, and he didn't get back to the school until about 5:30.
After that event wrapped up, and Brian got instruments back in his classroom, etc., he was off to another event. He realizes now that he should not have said "yes" to this, but he is performing on his horn in a concert this Sunday. He had rehearsal Monday night, and then again last night, and this rehearsal/concert is one and a half hours away! On Monday, he managed to sneak home for a couple of hours before heading off, though it meant more driving, but Thursday there was no hope for it. Long nights for Brian mean long nights for me, because while I love my Caleb, back-up is welcome and appreciated, especially since we are in the throwing/"I'm not happy unless I'm getting my way" stage. Also, I ALWAYS wait up for Brian. My mom and sister think I'm ridiculous not to just go to bed, but I can't. I'm just like my father. I worry about my husband on the road, driving late at night, just as he did about me. Not to mention the fact that I want to see him, to hear how things went, and to be able to offer him a late snack.
Then, if this isn't enough, Brian has a field trip all day Saturday with his students. He'll be up early and out the door, just as he normally is. For me, this is really hard, because though he usually works part-time for a few hours, he is home enough to give me a bit of a reprieve from the battles of toddler-hood by myself.
Sunday is the concert in which he is performing, and again, it is an hour and a half away. Since it is in the afternoon, I'm thinking I might wake Caleb early from his nap so we can all go together. Don't ask me how I'm going to sit through an entire concert with a toddler. I haven't figured that out yet. He'll be good for a time, but I doubt the whole time. Not to mention he babbles loudly, and I'm sure that will be a disturbance to others. However, I'd rather us all go then for me and Caleb to sit home again for the fourth time this week without Daddy.
We are more than ready for the summer to begin. People always say to Brian, "You're so lucky you have the summers off." Yes, it is indeed a nice benefit, but he could not do what he does all year long. His teaching job has so many extra events beyond the regular work day, that many times he comes home at bedtime (or later), or he's gone the entire day Saturday. The music teacher's job is not an easy one!
When he is doing all these extra things, I feel it, too. I love my Caleb to the ends of the moon, but he can be very draining for me. I once told my sister, who has four kids, "I think I am more lonely now, having a child, than I was before I had one." She understood completely. I think this is true mainly when they are little. I love him and love being with him, and have no desire to schlep him off to babysitters. But, he takes and takes from me, all day long. I give and pour myself out to not only meet his main needs, but to keep him busy, happy, entertained, etc. It is exhausting, especially when he's so little, when I can't turn my back on him for a second.
This week, Brian and I are both worn out, and unfortunately, things won't be normal until Monday, when the new week begins!
We can't wait to just be a family this summer. We'll try to combine fun with hard work in July. We have lots of baby prep stuff to do, whether it is things to buy or set up. However, we want to at least do one fun event, for example, the zoo, each week before it is clear I can't do those things any more. We should have three weeks, maybe four if we stay closer to home the last week of July. (Most things here are at least an hour away, and I'm not sure I'll want to be that far from home so close to my due date.)
For now, getting through this week/weekend will be enough!
