Coffee anyone?

I started this blog because it was supposed to help me keep my in touch with my friends... people that I've met in my wandering life... that I now feel so removed from... so busy with my day-to-day that we don't talk on the phone enough, sit down to have coffee enough, or even write facebook updates enough. I started this blog so that I could imagine that you were still out there, and so that if you really were out there you wouldn't feel like I'd dropped off the Earth... you could check in here and see that we're alive... and busy... and that we miss you all.

And then there's been the last two months or so. I've neglected my blog because I've been spending SO much energy on my family. Phoebe is still struggling with her very large class, Nora is often at odds with the world, and she's angry about it. I spend my mornings figuring out how to bring peace to a very frustrated first grade teacher... or get my first grader out of that room... and I spend my afternoons doing damage control with Phoebe's frustrations and processing about her classroom, and negotiating Nora's intensity. I feel adrift tackling these things... and I've started reaching out for some advice from past teachers. I don't know what I'd do without them.

So, I suppose that I haven't been here because I didn't want to complain... but the truth is that life has been hard lately. If we'd had coffee I'm sure I would have dumped all of the gory details on you... asked for a hug... and walked away feeling maybe just a little bit better, or at least less alone. I would have cried in my coffee because I'm frustrated and tired and I feel like I've lost my anchor... I hardly know what's important anymore. Reality is a word I don't understand... I feel like I deal in perceptions all day long.

On the other hand, I do feel that things will be fine. I'm going to be able to tackle each difficulty in turn and at some point I'll look up and realize that I've either dealt with each one or they've become non-problems. When I do look up, I will be around more, updating you on us, and wishing I could have coffee with you to catch up on YOUR life!