Adjustments

We've had a lot of them since the summer began. Adjustments, I mean. First we adjusted to Dear Boy being out of school. Then we adjusted to Auntie J coming to visit. After that, we adjusted to Grammie and Grandpa coming from Utah to visit. Nap times, bedtimes, and healthy eating were all victims of said adjustments. Much crabbiness ensued.

All of that's over, however, and we're on to what (I hope) is the last major adjustment for a while: DB has a job.

I'm very, very excited about this.

The girls are very, very not.

They object (loudly and complainingly) to being allowed to wind up and wear out themselves to the point of complete meltdown (see previous adjustments), then being thrown back into what should be normal but really isn't. Daddy isn't around for all or even most of the day anymore. He's not getting them out of bed in the morning, he's not around to help with lunch, and he definitely won't be home when they get up from their afternoon nap.

Last week, when he started training, they barely noticed his absence--mostly due to the fact that Grammie and Grandpa were around to obligingly spoil them rotten. Today, though, Ladybug started asking for him first thing. When he unexpectedly came home for lunch, Strawbee wouldn't let him put her down. When he left again, Ladybug followed him outside and watched him drive away. When I called her back in, she said, "Daddy?"

I answered, "Sorry, baby, he has to go back to work. He'll be home for dinner." She just sort of collapsed in a little heap on the driveway, crying her little heart out, and wouldn't get up until I bribed her with a pacifier.

Poor kids.

Sigh.

...I actually started this post intending to talk about how the structure of life is so great--just because one day we get things wrong (forget to exercise, don't do laundry, yell at the kids) doesn't mean that tomorrow is a loss too. We always have a chance, every morning, to make it the kind of day we like.

But now I've depressed myself and I'm not sure how to segue. Abruptly, I suppose.

Point being, there are adjustments for me too, but they're more like second chances. I've had to rearrange my schedule (I actually have to get up first thing in the morning, for starters) and though it's a change when I don't really like change, it's also already helping me get back on the bandwagons. (Yes, plural. Exercising, cleaning schedule, budget, eating right, blogging, writing, learning: You name it, I fell off it in the last month.)

But I'm back. And so far today I'm doing great. I bet I'll do great tomorrow. And if I don't, there's always Thursday. Or Friday. Or ... well, you get the point.

Onward and upward.