Aaron had to go back to work this month, after 6 weeks of FMLA. His first shift back was a double, that means he worked 48 hours. Count into that his commute (to San Francisco) and prep/shower time after his shift, that means he is away 2 and a half days. When he is gone, I am a 'fire house widow'. During those long shifts, I get a very small glimpse of how it must be to be a single Mom. It gives me a whole new appreciation for these women, because I know that at the end of the shift, Aaron will come home (OK, well, one hopes, at least. LOL!) I also know I have the emotional support if I need it (he is only a phone call away). I can not imagine having to do it all on your own, every single day, with no spouse to help or at least support you. Wow. That takes a LOT of strength, character and dedication.
On the calendar it does not look like he is gone a lot, he works about 10 shifts a month. Since his shifts are 8 am to 8 am, and he has to drive 2 to 3 hours to get there, that means that I do the morning routine with the kids 20 times a month. This is part of the reason I chose daycare near my work (it is < a mile from work). It allows me to spend the commute with the kids (and use the carpool lane- that saves about 10-20 minutes if I am stupid enough to leave during rush hour). I still have a long time before I have to go back to work, but boy, it will be a huge difference from the days I used to roll out of bed, into the car and to the office with maybe a stop at Starbucks on the way. I came to the conclusion that as long as I am still nursing, with the 2 kiddos, it will take me 2 1/2 hours in the morning from getting out of bed to daycare. Thankfully, there is a brand new Starbucks between daycare and work!
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