No Superwoman

I had a little discussion with a friend/co-worker of mine who is currently battling breast cancer (and still teaching). She recently wrote a post on her own blog about how she wasn't the Superwoman that others made her out to be. I had to laugh because I was one of the people who suggested she was. She had had chemo one day and was at our teacher in-service the next. I thought that was pretty deserving of the title Superwoman. I really think so much of it is that I am in awe of what she does because I could only hope that if I were ever in that situation, I would be the same way. But I am not sure I would. (Not hoping to find out any time soon...)

All that to say, I often get the same thing. "Wow, Reba, I don't know how you do it!" "Four kids and a job? How?"

And I completely understand what my co-worker meant.

I am no superwoman.

I am far from it.

I have piles of laundry that need to be done.

My dining room is filled with clothes that need to be switched out for the fall...except of course, once I did that, it got warm again.

Some days I cook, other days I don't.

My youngest daughter hardly ever takes a lunchbox to school; we don't think to check until the morning.

On any given day, if you asked me where something was, I may or may not know. I almost always find what I am looking for, but it may take all day.

We have WAY too much clutter.

Exercise? Only if you count hiking on the weekends.

Quiet times? That would be at breakfast time when it is anything BUT quiet and I have four kids all trying to get my attention.

Well behaved children? Depends on the day...the hour...the moment. I am realizing more and more that we can teach them the right things to do but ultimately they are their own person. Please remember that if you see them not being the people I want them to be!

Star teacher? No. :( I love what I do, but I am not at every school event, am still working on classroom organization, and sometimes I am puzzled at how to help kids the most.

I could go on and on, but in another example, it is morning, I fell asleep last night, and once again, I failed to post the thoughts swirling in my head. Now I must get up and going for the day.

I wish I could be Superwoman. I could use some of those powers. Maybe then I wouldn't walk around with a load of stress on my shoulders, my stomach tight from the stress. Maybe then I would have the house I dream of (as in organized and inviting). Maybe then I would be about fifteen pounds lighter. Maybe then I wouldn't wonder all day which child had a bad day or if I am failing in the parenting department.

More later,
Reba