The Setting in of Reality

I though I had a pretty firm grasp on what our new reality would look like with Jaelyn at home with me ALL THE TIME and Dan working on his master's degree and ILE coursework 30 miles away.  I don't think Dan had any idea what his new reality would be like :p - sorry Dan, keeping it real.  Even though you know how something is going to be, it's still hard to adjust to it.  I don't like Dan being gone from way before sunrise to well after sunset, especially after the last two years when he was home ALL the time.  He doesn't like the 1000 pages he's required to read every night or the vast amount of papers he's getting assigned to write.

We are half way through our second week of school.  I still need to get a little more organized, but overall, I think it's going really well.  The hardest thing to me is figuring out errands and doctor's appointments.  Take her with me or leave her at home???  That's the dilemma.  She is 11 and plenty old enough to start staying home alone, but I don't like leaving her alone.  I am already seeing positive changes in Jaelyn's work and attitude towards school.  Things that we would have struggled with at homework time last year (not because she couldn't do it), are being done independently without a fuss.  I know it's early on and the work will get harder, but I'm happy with our new reality.  Well, I still wouldn't mind a breakfast alone at Panera some morning or maybe lunch at PF Changs, but I'm coping :).  If nothing else, the stress that getting dressed and doing homework brought has been removed.  Our mornings and afternoons are peaceful for the most part.

We are on the fence with Jaelyn's gymnastics class for a couple of different reasons.  She's in a group with 12-14 year olds.  She's not quite to their level, but she's more advanced than the younger group.  Her instructor seems to be no-hands-on where her Missouri teacher was very active in teacher, spotting and helping. It stinks.  There's a tumbling and trampoline class that's been added to the day schedule.  We are going to watch it tomorrow and she might switch.

Caden had his first gymnastics class last night and LOVED it.  I wish I could bottle his excitement.  There are only 3 boys in his class.  It's late, an 8-9 class, but most of the other groups finish at 8:30 so they could use any apparatus in the gym.  The teams have priority.  Jaelyn's class is very limited in what they can do because of this.

Allie starts dance on Friday night.  She's excited.