Okay, so here is a typical week for us right now.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, Steph is tutoring. It's nice that she's earning some extra cash, but it's tough that she's gone that time. We made the choice together and we're hanging in there - it was a bit of a lucky break to land an easy job that pays so well.
The girls take what we call 'gym' class - an active class at dad's fitness club where they can work on basic gymnastics and basic sports skills - the guy who runs the class is wonderful and amazing and it's good for the girls to be getting SOME experience in that kind of thing so that they're not living in dread of real gym class in school. All the kids also are in Kindermusik.
I am playing in 3 groups right now - our church brass quintet which meets on Thursday nights, a Renaissance Brass group which has ad-hoc rehearsals and then performs at whatever church will have us throughout the city, and the Brass Fellowship, a brass choir which meets alternate Sunday nights.
So, let's look at Monday for example. (And it should be noted that I am simply giving a narrative from my point of view - Steph's schedule is in many ways CRAZIER than mine even though she works fewer hours.) I will get home around 4:15 or so. Usually at that point I have to frantically bustle around the kitchen trying to find something to make that SOME of our kids will eat. But we're lucky that tonight is gym class. So instead, Steph will take the girls to the gym class while I hang out with the twins - but at some point I will need to attempt to put dinner together while the twins are walking around the upstairs getting into trouble of various kinds. Try to make dinner ready for 6:30 or so when the girls and Steph get back, so Steph can inhale some food before running out the door to tutor. Then, by the time dinner is over, it's time to hang out for a little while, put the twins down, put the girls down (because they're exhausted by then) and get stuff ready for tomorrow before Steph comes home. At this point, we are both already exhausted. It's only Monday.
Tomorrow is Tuesday. Almost the same except no gym class and Steph's tutoring is earlier. So I will get home around 4:15, and then scramble to cook up dinner, so that again, Steph can cram food into her mouth before running out the door to tutor. The good news is that usually Steph is home then in time to help with bed time. But this week, Steph is adding a Spanish class for adults at our church. So she won't be back for bedtimes. No big deal - bed time is actually not that hard any more. But again, by the time she gets back, I'm drained and exhausted.
Wednesday is exactly the same as Tuesday. Only no Spanish class at church, so she could come home, but she's meeting her friend for coffee after tutoring.
Thursday starts the same. Only this time it's Faith stuffing her face so we can get her to the children's choir at church. Then Steph (or me) will bring her home and someone will go right back to the lenten prayer service at church, and then I have quintet rehearsal at 8:30.
Friday - amazingly no one has anything. Of course, by this time we are both too tired to do much with our time together and everyone is usually pretty grumpy.
Saturday morning the twins have Kindermusik. Then we have a birthday party, and then I have a pit read-through at the HS, because I wasn't involved in enough so I need to play in the pit orchestra for the musical - which will keep me pretty much away from home the entire week of my birthday, but that's another story.
Sunday night I have brass rehearsal again.
Ready for another week?
A couple of disclaimers after my vent:
1) I know a lot of people have it worse. We're grateful for what we have and even though it's insane at times, we chose it and don't regret it.
2) Neither of us harbors any ill will towards the other for the things we are involved in. I am not bitter at Steph for her extra activities and she's not angry at me for mine - we discuss things together and make decisions as a group - we're open and honest with each other so no resentment there.
3) We are always very aware of not overscheduling our kids - Faith seems like she's in a lot, and she is, but so far she seems to be handling it pretty well. It's always a tough choice and we sometimes have kept her out of things because we thought it was overkill.
But still, this is going to be a tough month. Keep us in your prayers.
Matt
