what i miss…
One of the things I miss the most when the school year starts is my morning [summer] ritual. Since I work at the elementary school level, school starts reaaaaaallllllyyy early. I am there by 7:15 (at the latest) every morning. So the things that need to be done in the morning are getting up, showered, dressed, fed, and walking Bella. In the dark, I might add, which I am NOT a fan of. Not in the slightest.
I walk with mace. And a phone. I am not taking any chances.
But my mornings are typically frazzled, a little rushed and not relaxing in the least. I hate that. But I get really efficient and good at getting everything done. I can time things down to the minute and after about a month I am on a morning roll.
But in the summer….oh my morning ritual is my favorite thing in the whole world. It goes something like this:
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5:00am: wake up (I like waking up early so this is perfect for me)
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5:30am: Gym
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6:45am: home from gym and take Bella on a 30-45 minute walk
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7:30am: breakfast. Leisurely. I drink coffee, ready blogs, and watch the Today show.
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9:00am: shower and start my day.
I love those mornings. I love that 4 hour span. It’s my favorite thing ever! But during the school year I am forced to workout after school and Bella doesn’t get a 30-45 minute walk but more like a 20-25 minute walk (again, in the dark! :() and breakfast is quick. I don’t check or read blogs but rather am checking my work email and looking at my calendar getting my day mentally prepared. I am drinking coffee in my to-go cup on the road.
Then when school is out I am rushing to work out, get home, get dinner made, lunch packed for tomorrow and then I can squeeze in some relaxation time which usually means I curl up in Keith’s lap and we spend time together. Then if time permits I will read a few blogs, write my own and go to bed. It’s a whirlwind.
But just like I said on Monday: I will adjust. I will adapt. I will get so comfortable in this new routine that it will feel like second skin. But right now, I am missing that morning me time. Missing it bad.
But I also know that it’s worth it. Worth it to have a job you are passionate about and want to do. Worth it to work hard at something you believe in and want to be a part of.
So my summer routine will loosely resemble a new weekend routine and I will love every minute of it then.
grateful
The thing about life is that you are never prepared for it. Not the good nor the bad. You just aren’t.
The really good things take your breath away. The really bad things break your heart. But either way you aren’t prepared and ready for either.
We adjust and we adapt. That’s what we do. That’s how we survive. Because let’s face it, even the good things in life take adjusting and adapting to.
Even good things like marriage. Being married to Keith is the single best thing that has ever happened to me. Does that mean I didn’t have to adjust to it? No. Of course I did. While being married to Keith is easy it is also hard. I am sure the same could be said and applied to all the positives in one’s life: career and parenthood immediately come to mind as examples.
Keith and I went to Temple on Friday night (In Judaism worship services are on Friday nights and/or Saturday mornings) and had a lovely evening. We go to the Temple I was raised in and so it feels like home. I am comfortable there. Even the same rabbi is leading the congregation. It makes me feel peaceful to step into those doors into the sanctuary.
One of my favorite parts of the ceremony is a point where people are allowed to share things they were particularly grateful for that week so we can pray and rejoice with them. It was neat to hear what people had to say. I love the community interaction and it also hit home that sometimes the little things in front of you are the things to be grateful for. All those little things add up to one big happy grateful life.
Instead of thinking I’ll be grateful when….I found myself counting the things I have that fill me up with joy every single day. And in that moment, right then, I wouldn’t have changed a single thing about my life. Not one.
So here’s to embracing your life, being grateful and enjoying the little things this Monday has to offer.
Let’s get this week started!
and just like that…
And just like that summer is over.
It’s that time guys. School time. I am heading back in on Monday for one kid-less week before the little dears come back the week after. I am excited! I am also slightly sad to see summer go.
No more early morning workouts. Those will have to now take place in the evening.
No more leisurely mornings drinking coffee and reading blogs.
No more long lunches.
No more spur of the moment errands.
But. That’s okay because I am pretty excited about the upcoming school year. It promises to be one filled with laugher, excitement, challenges and lots of hard work.
I was always the kid who loved school and cried on the last day. For real. Cried. I loved picking out pretty school supplies and laying out my clothes each night. I loved my friends and my teachers and PE! I loved P.E. Shocker right? 😉
So here we go! Welcome back school year (the kid in me has missed you)!
Do you get a summer break?
Did you like school as a kid?
you might…
You might be allergic to something when you look in the mirror and your arms, legs and face are covered in a splotchy erratic dark red rash.
You might freak out and call your mom even if you are 31. And she might turn to Dr. Google and run through the endless lists of possibilities while her daughter keeps saying, “don’t tell me” every time “oh my” comes out of her mouth.
It isn’t until mom says, “well I know this is a long shot but have you come into contact with cement.”
You might scream “YES!” At the top of your lungs relieved to know this isn’t some flesh-eating bacteria feasting on your skin.
Silence on the other end of the phone reveals that coming into contact with cement isn’t common in mom’s world.
Oh that.
You see, we are doing a home reno project right now and when there are 10 (80 pound) bags of concrete laying in your backyard and then it decides to rain and you’re the only one home you pull on your big girl pants and start heaving 80 pound bags of concrete mix into trash bags while some of them split open and get everywhere. You furiously shovel concrete into bags all the while staring in wonderment at the sky that this is the day it decides to rain in over 40 days straight of dry searing heat.
You might scream Really?! at the sky while shaking concrete covered fist.
You might.
And now you might realize that should you ever decide to quit your job and become a construction worker you are now disqualified because being allergic to concrete isn’t really conducive to being successful in that line of work.
A shower ensues and then immediately the rash starts to subside. A call to the dermatologist reveals that since it is going away I should wait and see. If it starts to come back then I should come in.
Whew.
Today? No rash.
Althought you might still be cursing that dang cement.
What Kelly Said 