Changes

 SGirl is now a sophomore in high school. She successfully completed her first year in the Engineering Academy. SGirl’s freshman year was difficult, the classes/teachers very demanding. At times SGirl was deep in homework up until her bedtime (9:00 p.m.).

The week before school started P had a major life change. After ten years he has moved on to another employer, same job. For the past 15 years P has come home for lunch. The last 10 years he worked 1.6 miles from home. He is now commuting close to 30 miles each way. No big deal in the mornings, but a traffic mess in the afternoons.

California’s governor passed a law allowing high school students an extra hour of sleep, thus starting school an hour later.  I really didn't think it would matter much to SGirl, especially coming from summer break. I was wrong, the first two weeks she was upset at having her routine disturbed. SGirl has finally settled in her new schedule.

Changes for SGirl and P means changes for me. Last school year SGirl spent some time with P before he left for work. Now he leaves by 5:30 a.m. and she does not wake up until 7:00 a.m. I thought that was going to be an issue but SGirl has not complained.

For P to leave early means I have to pack his lunch early, something I had not done before. Prior to me staying home with Baby S, we worked in different cities and took care of our own lunches. Now I wake up much earlier and a shout out to insomnia that makes it possible to get up and get P ready. Its weird to see him carry a messenger bag and a cooler to work. 

I need to backtrack at some point and post some of SGirl’s milestones. My laptop is dead and I was going to ask for a new one for my birthday, but SGirl needs a new desktop with lots of bells and whistles, including two monitors, to do her engineering homework. Change is good and necessary, we will adjust accordingly.