Saturday, August 8, I became a married woman!  The months prior to our special day were filled with much planning and very little time.  The wedding was almost-perfect!  We had a few minor issues, but managed to swing right through them into our vows, ring exchange and eventual introduction as Mr. and Mrs.  I couldn’t be happier with my husband and look forward to many more years together.

Now that the craziness is over and we have the opportunity to get back into a routine, I’ve been busily working out the details of our schedules.  Rob (my husband), Jaden (my kindergartener), Simon (my one-year-old preemie) and I all have different needs that need accounting.  My husband works swing shift (4 pm – midnight) Friday – Monday and is also going to school.  Jaden goes off to school August 26th and will be in school from 8:30 am – 3:15 pm Monday – Friday.  Jaden is also in counseling after being sexually assaulted in April.  Simon is still on oxygen and requires some special care.  We have a few other lingering issues associated with his premature birth and also have to account for various therapy sessions throughout the month.  Some of those sessions require time in the kitchen, and planning ahead for meals and activities.  I am also working on getting back into the freelancing world.  I miss writing and graphic design and want to allow time for those activities midst the schedules of the rest of our family.  I also have to account for household needs and chores for us all.

While looking at everything there, it’s quite easy to say that we have little-to-no-time and balancing everything would be impossible.  I don’t feel that we will have too much of a challenge, just so long as we all work at sticking to our schedules and ensure that routine is kept, especially for the children.

I’m setting out to build a complete daily schedule, Monday and Friday, Tuesday – Thursday and a seperate schedule for Saturday and Sunday.  As we have fluctuations in our requirements throughout the week, we’ll be better able to tackle certain tasks on some days over other days throughout the week. I will also be incorporating a meal plan into the schedule based of the need for dinners.  As Rob works Friday – Monday, I’ll be able to do some easier meals those days and bigger meals on his days off.  I also have to account for homework time for Rob and the bulk of that will take place on his days off as well.  Although, Tuesday – Thursday will offer me a bit more time to write, as I can steal an hour of his time during the day to care for Simon after his nap.

Balance is key in our scheduling plans.  We need to balance the needs of our family with those of ourselves and maintain the house, too.  We will adjust our schedule as needed over the coming weeks to work out the kinks and hopefully by this time next month, we will all be settled nicely into the new way of life, following months of craziness and constant running.

Until next time!