Shhhh…don’t tell anyone I’m blogging.
I just finished lamenting to Jason that I don’t have enough time to do everything, and then I finished school with Caleb unexpectedly early, so I’m hiding in the school room to crank out a quick post. Probably one lamenting that I don’t have time to do everything.
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| view from the lake at our quick overnight children’s ministry team retreat |
Jeddy officially graduates from college in seven days (even though he’s not walking), and Ada graduates from high school in eight days. But I don’t have time to feel emotions about it, oh no—because there are too many logistics to work out: gifts for graduates and for the graduation speaker that I’m in charge of, writing a blessing to be spoken to Ada when we hand over the diploma (side note: feel emotions regarding making brief but emotional speech in front of several hundred people), and trying to remember all the details I’m supposed to have in place for the parent-organized ceremony. And after that we’re hosting family and friends of both grads at our house for a cookout.
So I’ll feel emotions later. It’s not at the top of my to-do list right now.
Also of concern are other people’s emotions; like Jeddy, who is making a giant life transition into an uncertain job market; Lizzy, who is buried in end-of-year schoolwork; Jason, who is navigating his own uncertain transition.
The Sunday school year is coming to an end, which means thank-yous for teachers and recruiting and preparing for the summer quarter.
Lizzy finished her classroom driver’s ed and for some reason the online class is snail mailing her completion certificate instead of emailing it. So we have to wait for that to arrive before I can then mail it and my paperwork to the DMV, after which they will mail me a response, only after which can we begin behind-the-wheel driver’s ed. Which I’m intending to get done by end of May.
Also on my agenda to finish by end of May, which Jason tells me is an arbitrary and unhelpful deadline, but I really, really want a summer vacation, is school planning for next year. I’ve finished most of the easier planning but haven’t begun to tackle the harder problem of creating a high school English course from scratch. And frustratingly, I can’t get a solid chunk of time for that kind of work that requires sustained focus. Liz and Caleb need proctoring for all their various final exams (who signed them up for all these classes?) and they tend to spring that need on me at the last minute.
My email in-box is overflowing with who knows what vital response-needed messages I can’t get to.
But I’m also trying to keep up with feeding people and laundry and personal exercise and Caleb’s soccer, and the appointments! Why so many appointments! How did it come about that car inspection, eye doctor, pediatrician checkups, dentist, and orthodontist literally all fall in May?
On a positive note, I set a new speed record in my run this morning. I may not be able to get my thinking brain in gear around all the adrenaline but it does make me run fast.
To be sure, these are all good things. My kids are graduating. They have lots of friends who will share in their celebration. Homeschooling is a ginormous privilege and I get to teach them whatever I want. Lizzy is learning to drive. I have the privilege of being in ministry at church. Our family is celebrating, growing, and being together day to day.
I think I would have an emotion about it, but I don’t have time just now.
