Weekends used to be relaxing.

It has been one HELL of a school year opening for me! Despite my optimistic outlook on the morning of the first day of school, things have totally not gone my way.   Between work and the boys activities, I just about pass out every night!  I have missed and been unable to make up several workouts and it is extremely frustrating. 

 Saturdays and running just seem out of the question.  Pete works early and I have to shuffle the boys off to their games on my own until he meets me at the ballfield.  Most Saturdays will consist of a soccer game for Brendan, followed by a baseball game for both the boys unless Mother Nature interrupts the schedule.  The stress begins on Friday night as we make sure the uniforms are ready and remember who’s car Brendan’s cleats are in. 

This week it rained on and off almost every day.  By Friday afternoon I was pretty confident I would get to sleep in on Saturday (and I only felt a little guilty about it).  The baseball e-mail arrived with the anticipated notice of continued field flooding.  Shortly thereafter the Soccer e-mail arrived but wait, the game was not cancelled but rather moved to the new indoor facility next to the field.   Arrrrgh!  Well I could handle an eleven O’clock game at least it was not nine AM this week.   

School is in Session

Rememberthe first day of school and wanting to change your lunch period to be with all your friends and then changing your mind because the cute guy from last year’s English class is in the class you would have to change to do that?  Yeah, multiply that indecisiveness by 150 and add the immediacy and urgency of e-mail and the self-centeredness of adolescence and it’s not so cool on the other side.  GGGRRRrrrrrrrr!  The school year only started yesterday and already I feel the stress of it all full force!  Occupational hazard of a High School Counselor I suppose. 

All day yesterday I went from meeting to meeting while my 50+ emails remained unanswered all I could think about was, how I wanted to run away.  Run quick and fast into the rain away from the people pulling me in multiple directions. 

As I drove home and then waited for the school bus, work still incomplete, I continued to think about “Man I want be outside in that pouring rain running”!  I thought about it while I asked the boys what they wanted to eat and how their day was.  (Six and eight year old boys don’t share much about their day).   I thought about it as I filled out two sets of emergency contact cards, computer use policy and code of conduct sheets. (Apparently first day of school homework in elementary school involves lots of homework for Mommy).



The Wookie and Calli Girl waiting for the bus last year. 



 So at 7pm I left the three men in my life to the ball game on TV and took Calli Girl ,the puppy dog out intent on splashing thru puddles.  A quick wet three miles made up what was supposed to be track speed work.   I ran in the house for a drink and then a quick dog switcheroo, me and The Wookiee dog were out enjoying a mile and a half more rain. 

 The rest of the evening was pretty good, busy but manageable.  Kids in bed, lunches made, dogs walked, me on the couch with my husband, laundry wrinkling up in the laundry basket downstairs.  That can wait till Saturday right?  As long as all this rain doesn’t cause a flood in my laundry room.  But the rain is my friend this week.  It wouldn’t do that to me right? 

No matter how old we get, may we all have the excitement that comes with a surprise trip to the ballpark of your favorite team

Hopefully my boys will always feel the joy they have in this picture. 

I hope everyone is out making some final summer memories this weekend.  School starts this week here in NY.  Why not close out the last weekend of Summer with friends family and fun and a couple more runs (and Homeruns)!  Off to the next BBQ.