leftover ketchup

Thanks for all the book recommendations the other day. My book list is growing and I’m looking forward to getting to all the ones you suggested. We went to the library yesterday and I paid my $36 in fines. Yes, you read that right, because one of my kids decided to lose a book and do you know what happens when you lose a book? You have to pay double the retail price. Or that’s what I’m thinking anyway, because how can a kid’s book cost $36?!

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I think I briefly mentioned something about having two babies starting in March (oh, here it is). I had to do something sucky a couple weeks ago. I quit my job. And then I quit another one. And another one. And another one. (That was FOUR, if you lost count.) I didn’t do it because I didn’t like my job(s). I really enjoyed all of them.

I shook the entire day that I distributed resignation letters. I felt like I was letting people down. When I left for my mat leave, I told everyone that my plan was to return, but I didn’t give any absolutes. Secretly I hoped that I wouldn’t be returning, because I really, really wanted to be able to stay home with my yet-to-be-born baby and his sisters. The girls were so excited when I was done work and I was so excited to pick Liliana up from daycare on the last day. Her daycare was less than stellar and I hated dropping her off.

The thing is, though, like I said, I really liked my jobs. I enjoyed working. I had four great bosses, awesome colleagues, and great hours. My job situation(s) could not have been better. But, I started stressing about daycare the moment I started my mat leave. I looked around, I called about 20 daycare centres, I looked on kijiji, I looked in the paper, I asked friends, I asked on Facebook. Nothing. Either the place sounded sketchy or they were full with a long waiting list. I asked about rates, and after doing the math — paying for two kids in full-time care and one kid in after-school care — I realized we’d just be breaking even. It wasn’t worth it financially for me to go back. The tiny bit that I would bring home after paying for daycare was not worth the stress/anxiety of having to be away from Preston and Liliana. (Kaylie loves school and loved her school’s after-school program, so I didn’t worry about her.)

So, I get to stay home. Between freelance writing and looking after a friend’s baby (20 days older than Preston)(they are hilarious together, those two), I’ll make as much as I do right now from maternity benefits, so financially it will be fine. It was such a huge load off my shoulders when this decision was made and I am looking forward to this year so much more now.

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Russ has shown this music video in church a couple times, and again this past Sunday. I love it. It challenges me and makes me think about what more I could be doing for those less fortunate.

click here if you cannot see the video

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Kaylie didn’t want to go to school this morning. I made her go anyway. Is that mean? I’m hoping they talk about the gun incident last Thursday, and the importance of NOT bringing guns to school. You’d think it was a given, right? Apparently they’ve been having lockdown drills, but when an actual gun went off they … did nothing. Am I wrong to be angry about this? Maybe I’m just overprotective? Expecting too much? I’m forcing myself not to think about it today.

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There is an intersection near our house that changed a couple months ago. Whereas the stop signs used to be facing north/south, they now face east/west and for some reason, even though I drive through this intersection every day, I usually still stop where there used to be a stop sign and I feel very uneasy if I go right through the intersection without stopping. Is this weird? Is this stupid? Did I even have to write this? Am I boring you to death with the mundane? I should just go back to my book and stop bothering you?

Filed under: life