My Feb 3 in 30 goals

Alright so I have been watching this 3 in 30 phenom on twitter and facebook and decided to give it a try.  So February is here or almost and I have decided on my goals.......drumroll...

Number one- first and foremost for the sake of my husband and children I want to get a shower every day...all 28 in February.  Its funny because when on the rare occasion that I am away from the kids I am a shower fanatic.  A day does not go by that I do not shower there as even been the occasion (gasp) that I take two a day.  I am not going all out here my goal is a shower which will include clean clothes but I probably will not being doing hair and makeup all of these days...though I feel better we need to take baby steps.

Number two- I want to work out most days of the week for at least 30 min each time.  Most days to me is defined as 4 or more. I figure if I do anymore than 4 that is extra super awesome.  I want this goal to be laced with the thoughts that I am doing this for my health not to be a size or number.  I want to be able to continue to win the races with the kids when we can get outside this summer.  I want to feel better, did you know that some studies show that 30 min of exercise in some people can work as good as an antidepressant???? Well I want that feeling I used to feel when I worked out 5 days a week for an hour each day....

And finally Number three- this one might be the easiest one.  I want to start every new school week with lesson plans and materials ready.  No running around to find this book or that one or to plan (yes this has happened).  I want all the plans done and materials gathered for the week before we start.  Ya I am going to forget something here and there the point is to be ready the majority of the time.

So these may not seem like big goals but I figure if I keep them smaller this first time I am not as likely to give up.  I really love this idea  tackling our goals 3 at a time...I can so easily knock one and two out just by getting up an hour earlier though my coordination usually does not kick in  until noon at least this might be my best solution....

Well there they are...on the February we go!

Noise

In my house the noise level is generally above a normal acceptable range...There are 6 kids here three of which are rough and tumble boys and three girls with screams so shrill they can shatter glass and of course every one has to talk at once.  Once they start though its the competition that gets me everyone has to talk over each other..

What is is even worse for me though is I get used to the level of noise.  It becomes normal and bareable.  I can do anything when it is that loud.  What I cannot handle is the silence.  Not the silence when they are all snug in their beds the silence I hear when they are gone.  Spending the night some where or just playing at grandmas.  You make think the noise is deafening I think the silence is.....

Single parenting...while married

There is a large portion of the poulation that are single parents.  The defenition being that there is only one parent in the household who does most if not all of the child rearing.  Hold the phone though I am happily married (well most days) but yet this applies to me.  What how does that work? I think it must have been a military wife who coined the phrase "geographically single parenting".  I guess this is the category that I more closely fall into.  I am though not a military wife.

My husband of 12 1/2 years is a "deck driver".  Wonder what that is? He is the man driving the truck with 2 or three other trucks stacked right behind him.  He likens it to driving down a highway pulling  wagons behind him at 70 mph.  Any one who has ever dealt with a a wagon behind them knows that they do not follow well, they seem to have a mind of their own...and that is at 30 mph.  So he has a stressful job...and dangerous.  wonder how they get them stacked...they pick they up with a tow truck of a "hoist" while the driver sticks his head underneath.  This job has taken many men from their families. 

Back to single parenting...this job takes my husband from our family for anywhere from 20-25 days per year.  Let me show you an example.  He left on December 28, 2010, he was able to sleep at home on Jan 1, 2011 (literally he got home at 2 am and left by 6:30am) no one saw him.  He then has been gone until around noon yesterday that would be 12 days.  He left this morning to go to St. Loius to unload in the snow storm.  So hopefully he will make it back for a few hours with us today because tomorrow morning he leaves again.  When he gets back it will be a total of 18 days gone not counting today...

18 days with 6 kids is a lonnnnnnnggggggg time.  Especially when you homeschool.  To complicate things I have no help.  My in laws who live less than 500 feet from us are not into being grandparents and my parents are well not available (thats another blog post).  I have no friends...I think people assume I have no time or are scared of my kids.  So I truly do this show alone. 

Single parents are not always single.  I love my life but it gets hard sometimes and it takes its toll on me.  Am I thankful for my 6 healthy beautiful kids more than everything.  Am I thankful for a husband who sacrafices to provide for his family? It is one of the greatest gifts in my life.  Life though is not always easy and today is one of those days.  Call it winter, stress, holiday let down whatever but I have been in a funk and I want out.