How to organize a life....

This week is all about crazy schedules and trying to fit way too much into our schedules in order to keep the Brand Family moving forward.

First it was off to Edmonton (on a Sunday!) for a quick business trip so Aaron had the kiddos all to himself for 2 days- poor guy is pretty tuckered, even with our brand new fabulous daddy's helper, Colleen, coming in for several hours on Sunday to help him. And, the kids were pretty mad at me when I did return Monday night just before bedtime- I had been gone 40 hours and they hadnt seen me leave Sunday morning because it was early. They hate that. I always agonize over whether to wake them up to say good bye (which is bad for Aaron after I leave but better for me maybe) or not and I seem to always decide to let them sleep- must be the mommy in me.

Then yesterday was just a flurry of meetings for me so I was crazy and the kids started their new dance class which was fun but apparently a bit scary for Sasha- who spent most of it in Papa's lap... Today I need to go to the office of course, we have swim lessons, Sasha also needs to have his tonsil surgery scheduled, both have dr appts coming soon, i need to check out Ana's school and write the check for that today, I have to be out of town tomorrow all day for a client (but no overnight thank God) and then Friday is the Charity Golf Tournament for the school for which I sit on the board. We have already decided that for this one, Aaron (who is signed up to play in a foursome with some of my fellow board members) will attend alone- it is sort of weird because he is the 'spouse' but he is the golfer and we can't both go- it is too crazy around here and who would be with the kids? I will have to stay home from the office and try to work from here - hahaha- but at least we have Colleen on Fridays for 3 hours as a daddy's helper so I might get something done from the house.

At what point do you say, "okay, it does take a village and the kids will survive with a sitter for a couple of hours?". I mean, they like Colleen, she is perfectly capable of us not being here (she sits for several of our friends families, is 25, etc etc), and someday it would be nice to go out to dinner or something.... We have been home 8 weeks today and we have not left the kids a single time- not even for an hour (though we did leave Sasha with Jaimie for a hour when Ana went to the doctor but that doesnt count as it is family) - and I am feeling the strain. One or both of us has been with them all of the time, no matter what. Aaron is also feeling the strain- I can tell- it is him that is with them every day all day when I go to work...I try to help by giving him as much down time as I can (golf, beers with the guys etc and he does get way more of that sort of purely social interaction than I do right now but still, I talk to grown ups all day so...) I know we are still cocooning/attaching etc but I am beginning to believe that we need to look to the health (mental included) of the whole family here. Now, I just need to convince Aaron that they will not suffer irreprable (sp?) attachment harm if we go to dinner or if Mommy goes to work while he plays golf for charity.... Any ideas? Am I just crazy? I just think they are more resiliant than that- and I KNOW that other adoptive parents havent gone to the crazy lengths to never leave the kids with someone else that we have gone through and I applaud them for it- we need to find the same sort of balance, and probably RELAX about it all. Easier said than done apparently....

SKB