"The Pink Elephant in the Room"

Bought another Vera Bradley...this time a bowler in Pink Elephants off of eBay... $30 with shipping...great deal.  Yet, I am wondering why?  As if I need it.  You know what, though, it is getting me through today.

Our fall has been really, really insane.  It seems when school started all hell's fury was unleashed on our home.  We've gone from summer's peace and serenity to a perfectly fine car that we couldn't get to pass inspection due to some emissions crap, then was an electrical short in our kitchen, next a persistent bee's nest in our second floor soffet.  Finally, at least we hope, there was la piece de resistance, a 41,000 gallon water leak that culminated in digging up our entire side lawn.  Amazingly, I stayed fairly sane through most of that, and tried to be supportive of Tim who really dealt with the brunt of it, but it seems my time for the stress has finally come.

Today started with an overwhelming morning at work, learning about not one but TWO very good and useful, but very cumbersome data/statistical/testing oriented computer programs.  The information, interesting, the problem, when am I going to use them, and where is the TIME?  Time, always the issue, for everyone, yet I had to endure yet another discussion where my principal went on and on about supporting our "new mothers" at work.  I mean, I get that like a BAZILLION people had babies at our tiny school last year, but where is the love for the old mom, eh?  How about the people caring for aging parents?  How about people struggling in whatever way they are struggling at the time in their life they are at; sickness, marital trouble, personal difficulties we might not even be able to begin to imagine.  If we're to support one, shouldn't we support all?  Then came a rushed visit to my classroom to check in with my student teacher and be sure she, and my sub, would be OK for the day - can't just leave a teaching job, you know?  Someone has to actually DO YOUR JOB in your absence.  All was well, so it was off to grab Devin and hurry to Oswego for some lunch and the dentist.  Little did I know, my next test awaited me.  

We got in the car and Devin unloaded, as he so often does in the car...free to question, comment and confess while we both stare ahead, safe to reveal without the emotional hurdle of eye contact.  He let me know that I was sure to kill him as he screwed up his morning work, again, got a 45% on a math homework, (who GRADES homework anyways?  aargh!), got a 1 on the riveting fire safety essay I am sure he was so excited to write, and got moved to the front of the classroom.  This admission turned into an all out parenting session where we discussed every and all things that were bothering him, and came to some solutions I think, as we lunched.  Feeling better, I went to my purse to grab the appt. card for the dentist and double check our 1:40 time, only to find that the appointment certainly is scheduled for 1:40 - but it is 1:40 NEXT THURSDAY!

Yeah, that was my day.  How, you might say, does this connect to pink elephants though?  Well, isn't being overwhelmed the order of the day these days, all around?  Is stress the big pink elephant in the room that is always there and rarely addressed?  Oh, we give it lip service alright,  but then we carry right on, plugging away at our jobs, returning home to our rarely restful evenings, parenting our overly pressured children.  Some kids weather today's pressures just fine, some don't, and we don't get to choose the kids we get.  Some adults handle their stress just fine, some don't, and we have to do the best with who we ARE.  Hopefully we get a little support along the way, but we might not.  We may just be out there on our own sometimes, and to that end we have to muddle through.  We have to find our ways to get through our days, and I will admit, that today, that email saying I WON a pink elephant Vera made my day a little bit better.  At least Vera is out there and on my side, by my side even, and over my shoulder, getting me through the stress of my days.  I guess I need to say, thanks, again, Vera.

-Cheryl