Evidence of Life

Ugh. Today was (is) a marathon day. Mom and Dad were gone by 7:45 a.m.  New load of laundry started, dishwasher unloaded, boys up and ready for the day, bags packed, out the door with Josiah for school and work. Teaching. Multiple long meetings with colleagues, some requiring a delicate hand on touchy issues. Multiple meetings with students about research and grad school and grades and proposals and life. An external review team was in the department all day—a once-every-ten-years kind of event—concluding with a dinner and plenary meeting this evening.

Got home after the boys were in bed, which makes my heart break a little. Thank goodness for your parents, Jesse. They're saints. The boys were in good hands all day. There was an empty Chick-fil-A bag on the counter when I got home, evidence of a fun treat going out for dinner. (One of these days I should try out Chick-fil-A myself, now that one has opened in Lancaster. Is it really as good as all the hype?)  Pins and bowling balls neatly set up ready for knocking down first thing in the morning. And a bunch of activity categories crossed off the list from the day:

I think I finished this particular project since you left, right? In an effort to help give some ideas and structure and variety to their days, and to provide some alternatives to "screen" type activities, I've made up a list of activities that strike me as good and healthy parts of any kiddo's day. It's in an 8x10 frame so Josiah can cross off categories with a dry erase marker on the glass then wipe clean each morning. Yesterday he got through every category! (You know, sometimes I wonder how I ended up teaching university students when it appears I'm more suited to kindergarten...hmmm.)

In any case, that marathon day still isn't over, so I'd better get back at it. Do you think if I create my own set of categories I'll find a little balance one of these days?