Ten days left...

and yes, I'm counting! I have TEN days left with my one-foot-out-the-door sixth graders...they are just so done with the school year and ready for summer. So every day feels like an uphill battle. If anyone is wondering why I haven't posted much lately (not that anyone would, really), it's because I'm simply hanging on for dear life. This single mom stuff is tough. Caring for a ten-week-old on my own AND teaching full time AND managing to pump enough to keep this girl fed on a daily basis AND all of the other minutiae that life seems to require is tough, and I cannot WAIT till summer break starts on the 27th! Thank goodness for summer vacations...without them I think I'd go crazy. K and I will be heading east to upstate New York for the summer, to spend it with my parents, and I absolutely cannot wait! We'll be leaving sometime mid-June to late June, after I get a few things done here and get everything ready to go. I'll still be posting from there, though, thank goodness.

My childcare plans for the next school year fell through yesterday. Yes, I did cry a little bit. Only because things had been going so well with K's caregiver, and I was so looking forward to having her watch K next year as well. I completely understand, even though I'm not happy about it: M's husband got a new job that will require him to travel on a regular basis, and the plan is that M and her two little ones will go with him whenever possible. They may even end up moving temporarily. I did make a few calls yesterday, and the Big Question in my mind is which is better: a daycare "center" or a home-based situation? I am considering one of each right now, and I'll be investigating more than just those two before I make my final decision. The center is a church-based one that takes infants as well as toddlers and preschool-age kids, and a friend of mine has her kiddos there, and absolutely loves it. Great location, well-established staff, beautiful facility, and even a discount for teachers in my school district. The home-based daycare is one that three colleagues had their kids at for *years*, and all three were very happy with the care their kids received. Three negatives: a spot won't open up till November, requiring me to make other arrangements from August through November, right now it's all boys and my girl would be the only girl, and three (small) dogs live there as well. I think in my heart of hearts, I'm leaning towards the daycare center. But I will need to visit both places, which I haven't done yet. Ugh. I hate this.

K continues to grow cuter each day (happy sigh). She's ten weeks now, is growing by leaps and bounds, and seems to learn new skills every day. Based on what I've read, she seems to be right on the money developmentally. I cannot WAIT to be able to spend each and every day this summer with her, though! And I won't have to pump nearly as often. Mondays are SO hard, having to surrender her to someone else for eight hours after spending a wonderful weekend with her. Every day at 2:45 feels like Christmas, because that's when my school day (technically) ends and I get to go pick her up from M's, even though I don't end up leaving to pick her up until closer to 4:30 or 5. And when I finally get to hold her in my arms after a stressful day? Heaven. I know it's so cliched, but I really feel like my life has just begun now that she's here. Everyone should know this kind of joy. :)