Ironmaid

R is away for the third time in as many weeks. This prompts me to increase my ferrous-ness. Allow me to explain.

Growing up in Montana, I acquired an understanding of iron-man football early on. In fact, I played a little in high school, but that is another story altogether. Anyway, "iron men" play both offense and defense. It is exhausting; no breaks; you are constantly on; it requires an iron will. This is the version of parenting I'm playing - both offense and defense, et cetera, et cetera.

In fact, I've been playing for about five months. The first teaching gig is a truly monstrous undertaking (especially for the over-achiever type - any of you familiar with that?). When we were living in Oregon, parenting was a blissfull partnership. One of us took her to daycare, the other picked her up. One managed the nap, the other bedtime; we even alternated getting up with her on the weekends so the other could sleep in (because sleeping in for S equals 7 AM). I highly recommend this arrangement; it cuts the exhaustion. Anyway, this doesn't work now because R is trying to stay one step ahead of his two lecture classes, 4 independent study students, and 5 interns (and, then, there's the whole job hunt thing too). So, I'm playing ironmaid (or ironmade) parenting. I'm doing it for the team.


And I have to say that I'm getting tired; I think rust is setting in.