I have not "worked" in years. I am a professional volunteer and a wife and mom. That IS enough. There were years in between becoming a mom and now that I wondered IF it was enough. I'm pretty independent, it would be nice to bring some $ to the table. I am lucky that I do not need to have a job for us to get by. Especially here in Hawaii. Yikes. I used to cook, clean, transport, help and the "savings" was equivalent to a full time job.
Wednesdays are "short" days at school. The kids get out early for some silly antiquated reason. I usually spend my mornings picking up and taking care of business. Sometimes I go and hang out with my sister in law and her boys. Business is mostly work I do for the nonprofit Living LFS. It's work I'm proud of and happy to do and it is important. Li Fraumeni Syndrome will never be a worldwide epidemic since less than 5% of all cancers are linked to hereditary causes, but it is absolutely a worldwide disease. The internet gives those of us with these rare conditions a chance to connect and support each other. It is pretty amazing. I moderate the support group, run the Facebook page and try to keep things rolling smoothly. In an organization that is for people facing cancer after cancer, run by people facing cancer after cancer- this is pretty tricky. But these people are amazing and I have help from some wonderful mutants. There are ups and downs in the mutant universe. Sometimes all we can do is just be there when good friends are faced with impossible situations.
I rest up of for the after school routine. I pick the girls up- come home, they do homework for an hour and we are off to voice lessons. After voice lessons I run home, swap the 2 singers for the soccer player and take her to soccer practice. This Wednesday, my SIL made us dinner, which was fabulous- and no small feat. It also means one less night of fast food- because with Phil's schedule lately we tend to just grab. Not ideal but we do what we can.
Soccer practice is at my least favorite field. I've spent much time there, baseball, archery, flag football, soccer. There are about 10 other teams practicing at any given time. Parking sucks, the bathrooms are gross and coach requests we sit near where they practice- which means not in the car. On chemo week- lugging the chair from the parking lot out to the soccer field- feels like a lot. Today I'm lucky- a couple teams aren't practicing and I score a parking spot nearish the field.
I appreciate that the coach is a volunteer and old Jen would jump in and help. Right now Jen is tired and would really like her youngest to play soccer because she loves soccer and the activity is good for her. But if coach keeps annoying Jen, Jen will pull child from this team and pay for lessons at the Kroc center. I need to look into that again. It's bad when the third person comes out. I want to scream- I am not THAT parent. I am engaged. I am present. That is all I can be right now is present- and it IS enough. Coach yells questions to parents. I purposely yell wrong answers. Perhaps he will be deterred by sheer ignorance and incompetence. Apparently not.
The girls are rewarded for their efforts with a grass fight. The field was finally mowed and there are huge piles of grass everywhere. We don't have fall per se, so this is as close as they get to mounds of leaves. I start to itch just watching them. But the sky fills with burnt orange and pinks and the sun ducks down behind the trees and the girls are giggling and I think, it isn't so bad.
Wednesdays are "short" days at school. The kids get out early for some silly antiquated reason. I usually spend my mornings picking up and taking care of business. Sometimes I go and hang out with my sister in law and her boys. Business is mostly work I do for the nonprofit Living LFS. It's work I'm proud of and happy to do and it is important. Li Fraumeni Syndrome will never be a worldwide epidemic since less than 5% of all cancers are linked to hereditary causes, but it is absolutely a worldwide disease. The internet gives those of us with these rare conditions a chance to connect and support each other. It is pretty amazing. I moderate the support group, run the Facebook page and try to keep things rolling smoothly. In an organization that is for people facing cancer after cancer, run by people facing cancer after cancer- this is pretty tricky. But these people are amazing and I have help from some wonderful mutants. There are ups and downs in the mutant universe. Sometimes all we can do is just be there when good friends are faced with impossible situations.
I rest up of for the after school routine. I pick the girls up- come home, they do homework for an hour and we are off to voice lessons. After voice lessons I run home, swap the 2 singers for the soccer player and take her to soccer practice. This Wednesday, my SIL made us dinner, which was fabulous- and no small feat. It also means one less night of fast food- because with Phil's schedule lately we tend to just grab. Not ideal but we do what we can.
I appreciate that the coach is a volunteer and old Jen would jump in and help. Right now Jen is tired and would really like her youngest to play soccer because she loves soccer and the activity is good for her. But if coach keeps annoying Jen, Jen will pull child from this team and pay for lessons at the Kroc center. I need to look into that again. It's bad when the third person comes out. I want to scream- I am not THAT parent. I am engaged. I am present. That is all I can be right now is present- and it IS enough. Coach yells questions to parents. I purposely yell wrong answers. Perhaps he will be deterred by sheer ignorance and incompetence. Apparently not.
The girls are rewarded for their efforts with a grass fight. The field was finally mowed and there are huge piles of grass everywhere. We don't have fall per se, so this is as close as they get to mounds of leaves. I start to itch just watching them. But the sky fills with burnt orange and pinks and the sun ducks down behind the trees and the girls are giggling and I think, it isn't so bad.
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