First week of school and work

 The children (3 peas) started school on Monday.  I started a job as a Graduate Assistant the same day.  Sadly, I was not there when they came home from school because my orientation meeting was 2:30 to 5pm.

At the orientation meeting our supervisor invited us to work out a schedule between the 8 of us.  5 people wanted the AM shift, and only 2 can get it.  Another mom J has the most seniority and was hired with the understanding that she could only work during school hours.  She is from Nigeria, studying materials engineering, and she has 2 children in school.

Over the past week I have made it a priority to be early/ontime each day to show the supervisor that she can count on me to be reliable.  My default is to be eagerly working, rather than just present.  But with the hope of securing that AM slot, I have made sure to get L off to school, dress professionally, and show up!  One day L forgot his medicine and I was so torn about what to do.  I would be late if I went to school as I had in the past when he forgot his medicine.  So I went to work.  As soon as I was done I went to L's school to give him some medicine.  He reported that he hadn't had any trouble.  

The graduate assistant position is with the freshman academy.  We'll man a desk for students to see their advisor, and in the tutoring lab.  We won't be tutoring, but will be supervising, and sometimes evaluating the tutors.  I originally approached the supervisor because I wanted to become a tutor for the CSD department.  Last year my classes were during the day and I wasn't ready to miss family time for work.  This year my classes are at 1-2 (Tuesday/Thursday), and 5-8 (Monday/Wednesday).  So I have most of the school hours to work. When she interviewed me this year she said I could offer a weekly session to CSD as part of my work schedule.

With M at college I'm working on switching the children's rooms.  lP is really not liking this.  She'll have her own room for 4 years though.  There will never be a good time, and there will be worse times.  So, now it is.

flights and adulting

G had an opportunity to travel to Utah as an FSY counselor.  He missed his flight because he was asleep when his grandparents came to pick him up.  It's so frustrating that being deaf and having sleep difficulties create such a terrible dynamic.  His grandparents were so helpful, taking him to tampa in the middle of the night to catch another flight to get there on time.  My brother picked him up and helped him get to the meeting.

M was working in Maryland this summer and we had a tight plan that involved her flying in the day before she was to move into her dorm.  Unfortunately there were bad storms at BWI and she was stranded for 22 hours with delayed flights, canceled flights, everything!  She was on a flight at midnight when they canceled it.  She called P who was already driving to pick her up.  Some moms heard her conversation with dad and adopted her.  They took her to the front of the line where a man gave up his seat on a 9am flight.  I was able to pack up her things and pick her up in Nashville, drive straight to Auburn and get her to the mandatory 4pm meeting.  What a day.

I'm grateful for the good things they are involved in and the kind people who helped them get there this summer.