Jumping In, Keeping Up

My sister sent me an email last week, telling me that she didn't mean to pressure me but that she really misses my blog. When I spoke to her later I expressed the difficulty in starting up after a long break. Where should I begin? Should I do a long update kind of post? 

Her advice to me was to just jump in.

So here I am, again. Our life has resumed a brand new rhythm, and if things don't always feel balanced, at least we are all adapting to the new steps. In September we all started back to school, and for the first time in years both my husband and I are working full time at the same time. This has made for some pretty huge changes for us. 

First of all, it means that our littlest one has started attending a home-preschool. We were all very anxious about how she'd handle this transition, but she has amazed everyone with her joy and ability to adapt to change. She LOVES her caregiver, and happily dons her little backpack every morning. She LOVES getting in the van with her older siblings, and kisses her parents good bye at the door then wanders off to play in the beautiful, Waldorf-inspired space her caregiver has created. She is always happy, is fed lovingly-prepared, whole foods, and gets rocked to sleep for her nap each day. 

Two parents working also means that we actually have a bit of money to keep up with our bills. After years of struggling through each month and getting behind (and the stress that comes with that kind of life), we're breathing a little easier and almost managing to (gasp, really?) put a bit aside for a rainy day. It's a very good feeling.

In the midst of such busyness, there is still the stress of getting four children (and two adults) out the door by seven every morning. We yell more than we like, and are still working on organizing ourselves so that mornings are as serene as we dream they could be. 

There is the mad scramble of keeping up with all those things that still need doing, even though the house is empty all day. Laundry and homework, meal planning and grocery shopping, sweeping and music practice (Violet and Jude have started fiddle lessons) and play rehearsals (Jude is a Lost Boy in a local production of Peter Pan). 

There doesn't seem to be much time left at the end of the day for parents to have leisure time. I spin and knit and embroider very sporadically, as the opportunity arises. My husband plays hockey once a week, and we both perform here and there although it's increasingly not worth the time. 

There is wood to get in, fallen barn doors to repair, animals to be tended to, manure to be shoveled, and a roof to be repaired. The fine days of fall are dwindling in number, and we are well aware that the window of opportunity is beginning its slide closed.

I miss writing. I still take lots of pictures of my kids and our lives. Maybe I can commit a bit of time each week to sharing a bit of our lives here in this space that used to feel like a place where I lived. 

Thank you for checking in, and please say hello in the comments to say that you did! I've missed you, too.

PS I almost forgot to mention that I blog at www.inquisitivechildren.blogspot.ca to record the adventures in learning that take place in my Kindergarten classroom!