I'm a penguin... who knew!

 Insert sigh of relief emoji here** When I say that I crashed yesterday, I mean that I slept from 6:30p.m. until 6:30 a.m. I got up one time around 9:00??? to take my meds and get a drink because I am a mouth breather and my pipes were dry. Life has officially caught up to me and after I ate the delicious corn beef brisket I made for St. Pat's dinner, the carbs and meats hit and it was lights out. But I feel better today and definitely rested. Moreso than I have felt in a while, so hopefully it sticks. 

I got word last week that I will now be a Youngstown State Penguin. From what I gathered from the letter, our current community college is being taken over by YSU and they have added 36 new programs to their catalog. I am relieved that a decision was made and that I can continue my academic journey pretty seamlessly. Monday starts the second term of this semester and in that time, I am hoping for a transition and for things to carry on as usual. I would like to take classes in the summer to stay on course, but I have a feeling that they will take that time to make changes and start fresh in the Fall. This will push me back in my timeline, but such is life. Nothing ever goes how we have planned so why should this be any different?

This past Friday was the annual Knight at the Races that the Boosters Club holds. We were unaware of all of the other events going on around the area, which took from some of the attendance numbers. However, it was a great event and a success. I started my day at 8:00 that morning and didn't get home until right around 11:30 that night. Next day, Magnus and I took a road trip to Avon, Ohio to see big brother play in a college baseball game. Hubs had to work until noon and no one else wanted to come with, so he and I made a day of it. He is the best co-pilot. As long as he has his wrestlers and control of the radio, he will go anywhere. He rarely complains, asks for little and naps sometimes. His biggest request is figuring out what fast-food places are in that area and can we go there on the way back? I was happy to oblige him with some Chik-fil-a. We didn't get home until 8:30 that evening. It was a long day, but worth seeing Logan in the outfield a couple of times and up to bat in a beautiful collegiate stadium. 

Baseball season is fully underway with practices just about every day between the younger 3. Sheamus misses basketball season and asked me yesterday if, when he grows up, can he be a YouTube streamer and a professional basketball player? I told him he can be whatever he wants to be, he will just have to make sure he makes time for both things. We came up with a plan that when its basketball season, he will only live stream maybe once a week. That way he has time for practices and games. I love that he has set his goals high. Go for it, kid. Dream big while you're young. And all that. 

We have had two different meetings with Boop's teachers regarding his grades. He is the best kid; polite, kind, respectful, all of the good qualities in a student. But dammit, is he lazy when it comes to school work. He is having a hard time finding that want to do well. He just goes with the flow, rarely brings anything home to study, and wings it most days. It is starting to affect his grades significantly and we are at a loss. After speaking with a teacher today and learning that he has a study guide for a big test coming up this Friday, I pretty much threatened his social life if he didn't bring it home with him for the entire week. We are definitely not those parents that wants straight A's and grounds for B's or C's, as long as you are trying your hardest. But when we KNOW you can do better and you are just being lazy and not applying yourself, that's when we have problems and groundings happen. He's pretty much skated through school up until this point so I don't know that he even knows how to study except for spelling words and things like that. This is unfamiliar territory, but we are willing to do whatever we can to help him. 

We were supposed to go to Washington, PA on Wednesday to watch Logan play, however, he wasn't on the roster for that game so he didn't go. I took the day anyway. I ran some errands that morning, sat and had a nice, impromptu conversation with a friend and came home and took a nap. I woke up, picked up the kids from school and came home to clean. I made dinner and cleaned up after everyone, including the dog and was so overwhelmed with everything that I lost it for a bit and broke down. Right as Logan was walking in the door. I HATE crying in front of my kids, and I rarely let them see me upset. But I couldn't hold it in any longer, it was like a wave hit me and took me down. I'm not a crier... I react with sarcasm and snips and get mad before I cry. But sometimes, it goes beyond that. Life is hard. For moms, it all piles up and feels like we have to carry it all, no matter how much help we might have. Because he didn't have to play that day, Logan felt bad for me after the display I put on and came home from being out with flowers, my favorite chocolates and a Diet Coke. He knows the way to my heart. I am so proud of little things like that. Things that make me realize that while I may not have it all together or feel like I'm drowning in life's responsibilities, I am still doing something right by my kids. I am still setting an example of consideration, kindness, empathy and thoughtfulness. As long as I can put more kindness in the world through my kids, I am doing ok. Even if the laundry is piled as high as the twins dresser. Even if the dishes from last night are still in the sink in the morning. Even if I crash at 6:30p and don't get to tell them good night or make sure they get baths. And even if there is pee on the seat.