Busy Busy Busy

Everytime someone asks me how I've been my answer is always simply, "busy". I feel like I haven't had a second to myself or my family in quite some time. I calculated that just this week, I have worked around 55 hours and mind you....I'm not a doctor or lawyer, just an elementary school teacher and cheer coach! The next time someone tells me that I have the perfect "family job", I think I may just donkey punch them! People that don't teach really have NO CLUE what it's like. Yeah, yeah, I know you may be thinking oh hush, you have the summers off...blah,blah,blah! BUT, what other job do you know that you often have to take home with you {when I get done with this, I have to input grades}. You don't get to clock out at a certain time everyday. It's just when you get your work done, which often includes LOTS of late days. If you/your child is sick or you can't be there, you have to go up to the school and make sub plans (which take at LEAST 1 hour) and someone has to line up the sub for you and lots of times you have obligations on that day, which makes you feel guilty as well or just makes it impossible to do! It's just really frustrating at times, especially when you have weeks like I've had lately where I've probably seen my daughter about 5 hours total for the week. No exaggeration! It's been something every.single.day!

Monday night - ballgames after school @ Randolph, got home 10 p.m. {Albrey was asleep-didn't see her that day}
Tuesday - she got sick w/ the croup, so I had to leave a meeting and pick her up from Lindsey to take her to the dr., but she slept pretty much the whole day so I didn't really see her much at all! Wednesday - meeting after school - picked her up from Mom and she fell asleep early from being exhausted...I probably saw her 1 hour that night
Thursday - ballgames @ New Hope, got home 10 p.m. {Albrey::asleep-didn't see her that day}
Friday - Zach's Christmas party - saw Albrey for 1 hour once I picked her up from Lindsey & Jeff before dropping her off at Mom's
Saturday {today} - Zach got her from Mom's and then an hour later I had to leave and go to the New Market Christmas Parade for cheerleading/basketball float
*On a positive note-We did finish about 90% of our Christmas shopping this afternoon and we all went together!! Then, we went to her Nana & Pop's {Zach's parents} to visit & watched Mark Ingram win the Heisman!!!! So proud!

But, do you see my quandry....I'm so tired of always missing my family! I miss my little girl so much and I just feel like I am missing so much of her life! I feel like NO ONE understands what I'm going through. I'm sure someone out there does, it just doesn't seem like it!
I'm ready for things to slow down a bit, no make that ALOT so that I can enjoy life....right now I just feel like I'm rushing through it. I feel like I'm living a single girl's life because I'm NEVER home and I never get to relax and spend time with the people in my life who are the most important! Okay, so if you haven't noticed I'm venting/complaining.....SORRY! Sometimes though, I feel that if I don't let it out I will just explode...so there it was!

Now let me spend just a little time on a different note praising my bestie!!!! I'm very blessed to know some great people in my life and I have a very small number of really close friends. One that has taken the cake this week is LINDSEY!!!!! She has been such a HUGE blessing in my life! She's always been so wonderful, but she has really helped out so much lately! You see, my mother-in-law used to keep Albrey for us, but she had to have back surgery a week ago which has her unable to lift things, especially my chunk, for at least 6 weeks. So, my bestie Lindsey agreed to keep Albrey for us during this time. Lindsey keeps her at home with her for the most part with her 2 girls Avery and Hannah, but takes her to MDO where she works on Tue, Wed, Thur. Well, this week when Albrey got sick I had NO CLUE what I was gonna do b/c the dr. said that Alb shouldn't go to MDO and I had something everyday that I had to do at work so I couldn't take off, plus Zach can't get off since he just started a new job! Unfortunately, Avery {Lindsey's 4 yr. old} was also sick so they had to stay home as well, but L offered to keep Alb with them too. My mom also helped out by taking off on Thursday to keep Albrey so that Lindsey could have a break....she had 2 out of 3 kids on steroids...the girl needed a break! So, L has been a MVP this week by keeping my baby even though she was sick!

However, one thing that's not so great, is that Avery is pretty sick right now. She has asthma and it's really bothering her. She has been hospitalized for her asthma a few times and even in the ICU....keep in mind the girl is only 4 years old {almost 5}! The last time was in September, she didn't even get to come to Alb's b-day party which was so sad! The poor thing, she is such a fighter, but that asthma is just so tough. Right now, she is fighting through, but I know how scared Jeff and Lindsey are b/c they know if she goes downhill she will have to go to the hospital. So, the whole reason that I am posting this is to ask for prayers for Ave! She is just precious and she is truly part of my family! We just want to see her get better right away! So please PRAY for AVE and lift up her AWESOME parents, Lindsey and Jeff!!!! I know it will mean so much to them! Love you Linds....hope I didn't make you cry by talking about Ave, but if I did...here's my shoulder....