My Schedule

OK. First off, I would like to say I am only pointing this out because there are people out there that think that just because I am home during the day, I can do all of the stuff that I was doing before I started working. That is not so. I am home during the day, but I am asleep a lot of the time. Since I work the graveyard shift, I am WORKING while most normal people sleep.

I work from 8:30pm to 5am Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. On most Fridays and Saturdays I work 6:30pm to 2am. (I say most because this week I have been in tech training, so I work the 8:30 to 5 shift all the days that I work.) Yes, that means that my "weekend" is Wednesday and Thursday. That part sucks a bit but isn't too bad because I do get to go to bed a few hours earlier Saturday and Sunday mornings, so I can still spend the days with my family on the real weekends.

So you may be asking when do I sleep. Well, the answer is I sleep in shifts (in a way). I get home from work about a half hour after getting off of work. On the week days, I sleep until about 7:30 at first. I make Eric's lunch, say prayer with my family, and put a movie on for Sean and Noel as John and Eric head out the door for school and work (John drops Eric off at school and goes to work). Then, I head back to bed until 10:45ish. I get up, take a shower, make lunch for Sean and Noel, read them a book, do some homework, and take Sean to school. Then, Noel and I sleep until about 3ish. We then pick up the boys from school, and I try to fit in all the "good mom" stuff (homework, snack, etc.). Then, I try to fit in all I can as far as family time, hubby time, cleaning, and cooking before I leave for work again. Since the kids go to bed around 7:30, they are in bed when I leave most nights. They only have to go to bed without me being here 2 nights a week.

I know some of you are cringing knowing that my kids are here in the morning awake while I am sleeping. First of all, let me say that a few years ago I would have been right there with you. Second of all, they can come get me if they need. I don't sleep very soundly, and haven't since Eric was born. Noel comes in and gives me pictures that she has colored and just comes to talk to me a lot in the morning when she is bored. For a few weeks, she got into EVERYTHING (lets just say we have no more Vic's, and that was in the medicine cabinet). I did check into daycare for her, but daycare just for Noel would be a third of my paycheck. (Tara, I don't know how you do it.)

I am tired some days, but I figure I am getting more sleep than I did when the kids were newborns. I can handle it.