Confession Saturday - one day late

I confess:

--It has been one month since my last confession. But not because I haven't had any small worries or guilts in the last month (I'm a mother, after all).

--I find the beginning of the school year to be a stressful time. There are hand-me-downs to try on, and usually some clothes to buy to fill in the holes. There are school supplies to gather and shoes to buy. There is the annual ream of paperwork -- emergency forms, immunizations, etc. And in our family, there are allergy care plans, and asthma care plans, and EPI-pens and inhalers to gather and bring to school. There are meetings with teachers and school nurses to talk about what to do in case of an allergic reaction, or an asthma attack. I confess, I had a lot of help getting the kids ready to start school this year (thanks Mom and Dad!), but it still wasn't easy.

--I have enjoyed the balance that the school year gives me: some time with the kids, some time to myself. I confess, toward the end of the summer, I was a bit frazzled.

--I do better all day long if I start the day with a few minutes of silence and solitude.

--My life is better when Husband pays the bills. For the first several (nine or so) years of our marriage, I paid the bills. Even once the kids were born and I would have to get up at four in the morning twice a month so that I could do the work of paying them, I did it. But especially during the times when we had a lot of medical expenses, I would just get so stressed out and frustrated at how much money we were spending because of my illness, that Husband finally offered to take over the bill paying. I am so grateful to him for that. I am a happier, less-worried person now. Not that I would recommend total ignorance of your family's financial state of affairs, but I confess, sometimes it's better not to know the details.

--I confess, I really, really, really, really LOVE the school bus. And yes, I mean the one that picks up the boys at the end of our driveway, and drops them off at the end of our driveway. Any time someone wants to talk to me about how government is a failure and messes up anything it touches, I have two words for them: SCHOOL. BUS. My tax dollars hard at work and worth every penny.

I confess, I hope you have a week devoid of stress, guilt and worry. I hope you have a week full of balance, peace, help, and well-functioning government.