What the Heck... Why not?

So I know its been a while and I'm still hesitant to sit now and write. Why... because I feel like I've missed so much over the last 8 months and feel obligated to go back and cover the grounds I've missed. So its that overwhelming task that has kept me away. But instead I'll pick up today and move forward. Should I have the spare time to work my way back, then I may do so, but for now I'm moving forward.

Well January finds us in the midst of hockey season. As you can assume Brad is never home and always at work, or running back to work. We share the same bed every night, but in a recent 10 day stretch we only called it a night together once. He's working so much that I'm left with the single parent blues this time of year... we all miss him dearly.
Dylan and Riley are busy with hockey practice 3 nights a week and Jamborees on the weekend... thats hockey 5 out of every 7 nights for them. With Brad at work, I'm left to do most of this carting around, and find myself really struggling to make it though the mental and physical demands of the process.
On those days I'm done with work at 4:00, pick Brady up at 4:10, pick boys up from school 4:20, arrive home 4:30, gear up for hockey 4:40 (this takes at least 25 minutes), leave for hockey 5:05, haul in 2 hockey bags while carrying a 40 lb squirming toddler and misc snacks and/or toys, 5:10 tie skates and fasten helmets, 5:15 hit the ice, make 20 trips from ice to the warming house trying to entertain toddler for the next hour, 6:15 practice ends and undo everything back to 4:30, 6:40 make supper (hopefully well planned and its just re-heat), maybe sitting down to eat at 7:00, rush through dinner to bath Brady 7:20 and tuck him in by 7:30 (school night), then onto the big boys shower 7:35 and snack to get them into bed by 8:00. Now keep in mind this schedule is done with a 21 month old very curious, high energy, demanding, loud, wild child. Sighhhhh... This is my Monday - Tuesday - Thursday schedule

On a lighter and happier note, and the reason why I put myself through this week after week is that the boys are LOVING IT and I've found some good coping strategies. Last year they were pretty reserved and not really excited about hockey, sometimes not even wanting to go. But this year, they cheer when its hockey night and are shouting out the door to their buddies the second we pull up. They come in all sweaty and full of fun stories from the ice. They are listening to their coaches, practicing the drills, and following the puck like a champ. This certainly makes it much more fun to watch them. Brady gets in on the action too, yelling "Hockey, Hockey... Woooo Woooo" as they skate by.

In addition I'm getting to meet other women/Mom's/dedicated parents and hopefully forming some lasting friendships along the way. A good handful have toddlers tagging along, and their are 2 other sets of twin boys on our team too. Its good to have a lot of threads in common, and plenty to talk about, when you see these families 5 times a week. All of the parents in this hockey club are so wonderful, supportive and helpful and don't hesitate to step in and help a fellow hockey parent when needed. (Yes, I've been the recipient of a lending hand more than once, but can also say I've passed it forward as well) Its these pieces that make it a more tolerable experience.