Hiatus

Wow, I can't believe 2 weeks have passed since I last posted. Sorry for neglecting all of you - I just really needed some time to get settled into this new routine and minimize my computer time.

Things are falling into place here - we are all happier when we have a routine. It's hard to force ourselves into it, but once we are just automatically doing the things we need to do each day the less we have to think about them, and the more we can just relax. I've still got to work on cooking dinner though. Jeff is basically never here for dinner during the week any more, and I find my motivation to cook is *so* low when I know the kids would be perfectly happy to just eat cereal or grilled cheese.

Jeff's job schedule is as insane as ever (this week he worked from 8:30 am to past midnight two days, already) but we are managing to fit in some family time. I got some really good ideas from friends who had been through this kind of situation with their own spouses and I realized we just needed to think outside of the box. We can't all have dinner together any more, but we can all get up in time to have breakfast together. The kids each have one day a week where they don't go to school (Megan's school has half days on Tuesdays so she doesn't want to go then - a lot of kids including her friends usually stay home that day). We are figuring out a way for the kids to each have lunch with Daddy on their day "off" so that they get some one on one time with him.

Calum's preschool is working out so, so well. We did end up going with the place I mentioned previously. He goes four afternoons a week, from 12:15 to 2:30. It's enough time to give me a lovely oasis of peace in the middle of my days. The teachers are super - they own the school, started it together in the late 80s and are very experienced at what they do. They're kind and patient and don't take any nonsense from their 3 and 4 year old charges. I think Calum likes it - I often hear him singing songs he learned there, or reciting bits from books the teachers have read to the class. When I pick him up he always gets a huge grin on his face when he notices me, bounces out of the classroom and gives me a big hug. "Mommy!!! THERE you are! I missed-ed you!" So precious!

Megan is also enjoying school, though you have to get her alone and in the right mood to talk about what she's doing there before you know what she thinks/feels about it. She is getting used to riding the school bus and feeling more comfortable with it, now that she knows where to get off the bus in the afternoon. I wish she had some friends on the bus but hopefully that will come in time. She's just so shy and doesn't talk to people easily. She is talking about signing up for French classes, but finds it awkward to ask questions about the content and location of the classes. (The way her school works is that there are classes at different levels organized according to what the students ask for. The school schedule is then posted on a big board in the school, and you just show up to whatever class interests you and is at your learning level.)

I'm trying to get more involved in her school and finding that most of the parents are really friendly. Already I've volunteered to type up items submitted for the school's weekly newsletter; be the executive secretary for the parents' council and help head up a committee to explore ways to integrate new families into the school better. This Saturday I'm signed up for a work party. The school requires parents to commit to 8-10 hrs/month minimum plus two work parties a year to make sure everything gets done. It's fascinating to see how well this community works! The school council meets every day and any parents, staff, and students are welcome to come and participate in both decision making and disciplinary discussions. There's a parent council called SANE (Society for the Advancement of Non-Coercive Education) that plays a *huge* role in administering the school - it's not like your typical PTA which in most public schools is relegated to doing fundraisers. All families are required to join SANE when their kids enroll in the school. A couple of weeks ago they had their first of three mandatory meetings for this school year, and I was so impressed to see that they have somehow managed to achieve a volunteering culture in this school. Many positions needed to be filled, and many people volunteered. I want to figure out exactly what it is that they are doing right, so I can pass it along to that other organization I volunteer for which seems to have such difficulties with filling positions.

Jeff's still really enjoying his job (good thing since he spends so much time doing it!!). I've had a chance to check out the main EA campus and I really like the corporate culture there. People bring their families, babies, dogs in as visitors, they take breaks to play video or arcade games, they can sign up for continuing ed courses through the "EA University"... and everyone seems to just be in a good mood when I'm in the office with Jeff. The game library continues to be our family's favourite "perk" of Jeff's job so far. It's awesome that he can bring home 2 video games for free every week.

I've been trying to figure out how to go about signing up for classes over at BCIT. Seems like I can take classes part time for the next couple of years while Calum is still at home most of the time, and switch to the fulltime program when he goes to school. Windsor House will let him come full days when he's five, so if he's ready for that then I think that would be doable. I can eventually get a BBA through BCIT so if we continue to live in this area that would be very convenient. It's about a ten minute walk from here, even closer than Jeff's very close office.

I think that's about it for my update - I'll see if I can post some more of the good pictures we got during the two weeks my dad and Carol were here.