Logistics of a New School Year Day...Truthfully

Folks often ask how we “do it”, regarding the busy-ness of having a large family. The truth is, sometimes we “do it” better than others! Getting started back to school this year has been a bit of a challenge. Having made many changes in our school schedule this year, I am now more of a taxi service than I used to be. Tessa is able to help with transportation some, as she has graduated and is not working full time yet, but we are not allowing our other students (including the drivers) to take time off of school for things other than doctors appointments, etc. So, how does my day go as I struggle to arrange logistics for eight kids during a “typical” school day? Follow along with me and see…

Oops! To start with, we now have NINE kids at home. This is a good thing, as we are excited that our 19 year old son has humbly come to us and asked to move back in while he comes up with more of a plan for his life, but it does add logistical issues to the day. Why, you ask? Well, it has a lot to do with his recent car accident, that left him not only without a vehicle, but culpable for the costs of all three cars involved (had no insurance).

To continue… He has to be at work at 10:00. Not a big deal, really. I will arrange to have Kathryn ding the bell we use to signal class changes while I am gone. (She did a marvelous job, according to reports I received.)

However, the rest of the day presents more of a challenge… I need to buy groceries at Sam’s, which is something we do once a week. Irina is the only person here who can go with me (I always take one or two of the kids to help in the store and loading the van), as she is not doing school. We normally go (I am a creature of habit and have a hard time with c-h-a-n-g-e) around 12:30, but if we do that there will be no one available to help us bring groceries inside when we got home (can’t disturb the students who finish at 3:00, you know). A later departure time is called for, obviously.

Since Zhenya needs to be picked up at work at 2:00, we can work that into our Sam’s trip. He also needs to needs to go to the bank to get money for his court appearance this afternoon (ticket from accident), but since I need to deposit a check, get cash for groceries, and have a document notarized, that will work out well. We will then bring him home before we go to Sam’s for groceries. His court appearance is at 4:45 and Tessa will be able to take him, as long as he tells her how to get there. Since Shawn needs to go to a neighbor’s house to get directions on how to care for her cats while she is gone, Tessa can drop him off on the way to the police station with Zhenya. (Note from later: Very little ever actually goes according to “plan” around here. Zhenya decided to go to a friend’s house and have Tessa pick him up there, after she dropped Shawn off. However, when we got home from Sam’s, Zhenya was still there, as the friend had not been home. The neighbor actually came by and picked Shawn up AND brought him home. Poor Tessa’s head was spinning.)

I should then arrive home and have lots of help unloading the vans, from kids relieved to be finished with a school day. Shawn will either walk home or be brought by the neighbor, so no transportation needed there (see previous note from later). Zhenya does not know how long he will be at the police station, so Tessa will leave him and he will call us when he is ready to be picked up. Ahhhh, finished for the day. But wait! What about Irina’s “date” with her mentor from church?! Oh yes, she will pick her up and bring her home – no problem there.

(Somewhere in here I managed to fit in some grading of school papers and doing typical "teacher stuff"... Or at least I think I did...)

Tomorrow looks much more easy to deal with… at least for now. Just one simple thing at 11:30 – a lunch at church. But then, I do need to have the transmission on the van rechecked and they said it would only take ten minutes, so could I get that done on the way home…. I wonder what time Zhenya goes to work….
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Now is the time for truth. “How did I do it,” today? Well, after picking Zhenya up at traffic court, stopping by the shop to get some things out of his sad looking car (no way he will be getting that car fixed), dropping him off at WalMart to get a prepaid phone card and cruising the parking lot waiting for him, then finally getting home, I collapsed in my recliner and posted the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door. I was dangerously close to being a puddle of exhausted tears. A few minutes of peace and quiet helped minimally, but by the end of our Bible Study I was indeed crying if anyone so much as breathed in my direction (crying easily seems to be a side effect of my brain surgery). I fell into bed at 9:20pm that evening, emotionally, physically, and spiritually at the end of my (human) rope.

Thankfully, most days are not as hectic as this one was. However, there is no doubt that I “do it” better some days than I do on others. It is by the grace of God that I am able to “do it” at all, though. This life God has blessed me with is a wonderful one and I am ever thankful for the opportunities He gives me daily to serve Him. Perhaps the biggest challenge is slowing down enough (yes, even with 9 kids at home) to see His way and not barging on ahead in my direction, though.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 12:27