We Are SOOOO in Need of Spring Break

I type this as I sit next to Brayden who has just spent the last hour working with me on these blasted Oregon Trail journal entries. Once again, I say: neat idea for kids who love to write and can think things through abstractly, but for kiddos like my boy - AHHHHHHHHHH!

Perhaps I might not be feeling this way if it weren't 8pm by the time we started this - or if Brayden weren't two entries behind - or if tears weren't part of the equation (on his part). But, here we are, and I feel like the least I can do while he copies in his own handwriting what I typed and printed out from the computer, is sit beside him.

The weekend really was wonderful, but we got home too late last night and we are all out of the groove today. I had a lot on my plate scheduled for the day - meeting with another college student (wonderful), making 13 dozen cookies for the collegians for finals week and distributing them with the family, and then Brayden's end-of-season basketball party. I didn't count on my dad stopping by (but I'm very glad he dad), Lisa and the kids visiting (but the company was outstanding) - or getting such a late start to the cookie making and therefore not having any chance to help Brayden with homework. We were able to drop off the cookies immediately after John came home, but I'll admit, my expectations were a little dashed when he came home later than I thought and not able to hit the houses' dinner times right on the money. Was it really that big of a deal? Of course not - but, by then, my attitude was toast and poor John and the kids had to suffer.

Once again, I can look at what hasn't been part of the equation - some good quiet time, some good time devoted to Who's most important - and I'm not talking about me, though that's what is generally my first inclination (I just need some time to read a book, or take a bath, or..... and then I think - wait, didn't I just do that over the weekend?).

So, here's to spring break, 4 sweet days away. For my son's sake, for my daughter's sake, and for my sake. For John, there is no spring break, but I think he'll feel the difference as we all tone it down a notch without all of the hurried expectations of the school-time routine. I just can't wait.