in transition

**note - we are NOT going to talk about the fact that it has been almost a year since I have last posted - once you read this post, you may understand why I took the big break. So as for mentioning it, just don't. Seriously, don't.***

Let's face it - I am not good at change. Which is not to say that I cannot change, because I can and often do. It's probably more accurate to say that change makes me uncomfortable.
I am a creature of habit, and once I establish a routine, I like it, more like need it, to stay that way.
So here is the problem: I have just recently returned to daytime work 3 days a week. The job is lovely, my coworkers are lovely and the fact that I no longer clean toilets and showers for hours at a time is LOVELY. However, this new venture upsets the carefully crafted status quo around here.
My being a stay at home mom was purely in name only - I was never really at home! And if I was, I was so busy with cleaning and maintaining and projects that it was not one of those sit-on-your-butt-in-front-of-the-television-eating-bon-bons type of things. Here is a sample of my schedule:

MONDAY: take kids to the Gym, workout for 2 hours, home, lunch, nap, laundry, make dinner, go to work 6-12(I was an evening shift cleaner)
TUESDAY: take the Lamb (my daughter) to school, grocery shopping with the Monkey (my youngest son), other errands, home, lunch, nap, pick up Lamby, make dinner, go to work 6-12
WEDNESDAY: head to Bible Study with the kids, home, lunch, nap, drive 1/2 hour to pick up Fidget (my oldest son), home, make dinner, family games night, take Fidget home, come home myself, spend quality time with The Goldfish (aka GF, Goldie, the Fish, or my husband...I will explain these names later) fall into bed around midnight
THURSDAY: arise before the birds (3:45am) and head to the Bar to clean (in addition to being a night cleaner, I also clean a restaurant 4 mornings a week), home, take Lamb to school, home to clean, do laundry, catch up on homework from Bible study or other misc. jobs not completed, lunch, nap, pick up Lamb, dinner, take kids to Gym, work out for 2 hours, home, fall into bed
FRIDAY: clean the Bar, home, gather kids for swimming, head to Gym for their lessons, work out for 2.5 hours, home, lunch, nap, every other week pick up Fidget, make dinner, go to work 6-12
SATURDAY: clean the Bar, sometimes work out, home, work on projects around the house, or sewing, or rest, lunch, nap, dinner, church, home, bed
SUNDAY: clean the Bar, every other week head to church to lead Sunday School lesson, sometimes go to the in-laws for lunch, home, nap, dinner, take Fidget home if I have him, home, BED

Sounds like a lot right? YEP. That is just how it was. Now imagine that I try to stick 24 hours of working in an office in there. Oh sure the nighttime cleaning job goes, but not the morning one. And laundry never disappears, nor does house cleaning, groceries, Lamb's school, or all those other mom-related jobs I did. My trouble is learning how to juggle it all around so it FITS. And feels COMFORTABLE. I find the first thing to go is anything related to my own comfort or enjoyment - like working out or napping. But I really NEED to work out. And some days, say, Thursdays and Fridays, I really NEED to nap.

I just need to find a schedule that works for all of us. And then once I have it - WATCH OUT - because I can rock a set schedule like nobody's business. And rock it I will.....as soon as I figure it out. But first, I have some cleaning to do....