Wednesday... Is it Wednesday?

I want to thank those of you who commented on my last post.  Sometimes it helps to hear from others in the same experience or from someone on the outside looking in.  And Ashlee, you have to pass that CPA exam!  It's odd to say but I enjoy tax work and I'm so thankful that I passed the exam when I did.   Years later, it wouldn't have been possible.  I sometimes wonder if it is better to have kids at an earlier age.  Is it easier when you're younger?  I don't know.  It's probably different for each person.  For me, no.  I always thought I would meet my future husband in college and when that didn't happen, I floundered for awhile before realizing that it was a good thing.  I had fun, discovered myself and quickly scrambled up the corporate ladder.  I had the opportunity to be selfish.  

Most of my work issues have been people related and that can happen anywhere, with any job.  These past few years, I was working for crazy people who had essentially turned our tax department into a mini law firm, complete with the excessive overtime and drama.  Scary drama.  Those people are gone but you can't fix everything overnight.  There will always be crunch time in a tax job but for the most part, it can be managed, especially outside of public.

So even with all the work I have to do this week, I went in late on Monday because Allie had a poetry reading in her class that morning.  When I asked her if it was okay if just Daddy attended, she started to cry so of course, I had to go.  I wanted to go too.  Emily's class was scheduled to go to the library that morning and parents were invited to meet the class there.  The timing was such that I would be able to do both, back to back.  Well, as we sat in the van in the school parking lot, waiting for the doors to open, I received an email from Emily's teacher stating that she didn't know if they would be going to library and if they did go, she didn't have a time so she was uninviting the parents (because she would be teaching and not able to shoot off emails to coordinate the timing.)  Emily started to cry a little so I promised her that I would peek my head into her classroom to say hi on my way to Allie's class.

When I arrived at the school a bit later for the poetry reading, Emily's class was empty and the lights were shut off.  I made my way down to Anna's room to say hi.  The girls think that these little pop ins are the greatest thing and their teachers, thankfully, don't mind.  Her teacher's back was to the door and I stood there in the doorway, scanning the kids' faces, looking for Anna.  I found her before she spotted me and she gave me the biggest smile and a small wave when she saw me standing there.

Allie's poetry reading was fantastic.  Her teacher wrote in her report card that poetry writing came naturally for her.  At the end, when her teacher had wrapped things up and the parents were milling about on the verge of gathering up their things to leave, one of the boys shouted, "Now everyone, give your mom a hug." And all the kids did so freely.  Even the boys.  I like this age.  When they aren't embarrassed to hug and kiss me in front of their classmates.

Emily's classroom was still dark so I guessed that they had gone to the library after all and I decided to stop in there on my way back home to surprise her.  As I turned around in the parking lot and headed back out to the main street, I saw her class on the crosswalk, heading back to the school.  And there was Emily, with her two long ponytails swinging back and forth and a library book tucked under her arm.    

I got home from work at 10:00 Monday night and last night.  I couldn't take another late night and left at 8:00 tonight.  It still takes an hour to get home.  Just a few more days and we should be done and then I have some vacation days to look forward to.