It’s that time of year again . . . time for the kids to head back to school.  I’m full of mixed emotions this year as the kids started back.  My first emotion is WOOHOO!  I love routine and our family seems to operate better when we have things to do.  The house will also be less messy, so less housework and with all 3 kids in school this year, I’ll have a few hours a couple times a week to myself.

While the kids are away the moms will play!

Then I start to think about how that routine means less time as a family and especially with my chef/husband.  And there goes my excitement!  (Although taking the picture above to “celebrate” the start of school will always bring a smile to my face.)

This past week my chef/husband was able to move his schedule around so he could take the girls to the bus stop and to school on the first day.  He also happened to be off on Thursday and was able to go with us to Kindergarten orientation in the middle of the day which was nice.

Ready for work, but at the bus stop!!

The reality of combining a traditional school schedule and the job of a chef is not a pretty picture.  They don’t go very well together.  They don’t emulsify very well.  (Sorry . . . I couldn’t resist.)  We try really hard to make it work, but sometimes there are tears and there are many conversations about the hours daddy works to provide for us.  2 of our girls are now in school full day and our youngest goes for half the day.  Unless my chef/husband has a weekend day off, they don’t get to see him much.  I’m not ready for that part of the routine.  There’s still hope something might be different with his new position, but I’ve learned to not get my hopes up.  If better days off or different hours happen, that would be great!  If not, we’ll keep working around the schedules.  What else can we do?

Then there’s the whole, “Our baby just started kindergarten” set of emotions for me as a Mom.  I got a little choked up as she got on the bus.  She had a great first day and was so excited to tell me all about it . . . but all the kids are growing up so fast.

Everyone keeps asking me what I’m going to do with all my free time.  The truth is, after workout class, Bible Study and volunteering at the school, I’ll really only have 2 mornings a week.  That’s not that much time.  I’m sure I’ll fill it with chores around the house and website work.  Maybe even an occasional date with my handsome chef/husband when he’s off on a weekday and the kids are in school.  🙂

So with those milestones behind us this week (including my 40th birthday), we move ahead. . . . continuing to support my husband in his job as he provides for us, getting back into the routine of school and homework, continuing to work on creating a peaceful and quite home for my chef/husband to come home to (the thing I fail at most as a wife and a mom – more on this later), and finding time as often as we can to be together as a family and as a couple.

Anyone else struggle with this time of year?  For those of you with older kids, any advice you can pass on?

From one chef wife to another,