I Really AM Busy

Being an at home mom and home educator, not to mention a grandmom/daycare provider, doesn't leave you much time during the day to relax.....and I also hold a "real" job that I do at home for a psychology company.  Family and friends, especially family, don't seem to remember that being "at home" is not synonymous for "doing nothing".  My phone rings off the hook and I hesitate to turn it on silent with a college age son driving his commute and two daughters and my husband out in the world who may need help.  My younger daughter stops in during the morning some time for coffee.  That's fine.  I have a daycare child before and after school on Monday/Tuesday and she is hoping for a ride to work on those days so she doesn't have to take the bus.  It's not the best way to start a productive school week, but I can live with it.  My 2 year old daycare baby usually arrives around 8.  Mom is good about dropping her off quickly and being on her way.  My oldest daughter brings her daughters around 8:45 and stays for a quick coffee or bagel.  It's hectic, but I do enjoy when my daughters have time to share their lives with me.  Then there is breakfast for the two toddlers and my 9 year old and the baby to feed, so by the time any sort of normalcy returns it's 9:30.  My older son calls often for a number of important and maybe not so important things.  My mother calls to "check in" and often drops in and this is a huge distraction.  If I don't answer the phone, it's for a reason.  Please don't continue to call and call and call and call and when I answer say "are you home?" or "what are you doing?"  Today I said, exhasperated, "I AM TEACHING!" and she said.....:"oh, so you aren't home?".   YES!  I am a homeschooler!!! If it's between 9 and 3, the odds are I AM TEACHING!  So she says she will be dropping by.  And she does...randomly, right after I get the toddlers down for a nap.  She knocks on the door before she comes in, which sets both dogs to barking, which wakes the baby.  Then she is all over the baby so now the baby is fully awake.  She wants to know why she can't see the toddlers....sleeping....toddlers are asleep at 1 in the afternoon.

So I finally get lunch, feed the baby again and get my son back on track for school in the afternoon.  Then my work calls.....6 times....every 10 minutes.  I work from home on my own schedule!! Stop calling me!  And if I don't answer, the boss calls and chews me out. I need a new job.  And to make it worse, the secretary is rude and condescending.  Then my younger daughter calls to yell and vent that her surgery was not a success and she needs physical therapy and.........and then I am trying to text my husband to find out if his mother has had a stroke and then......all the while, trying to teach.

I am frustrated.  I have worked all day....ALL DAY, and now I have to work all night for my company.  I have tendonitis or something that is causing me wrist pain.  My mind is foggy and sore from thinking so much and mind juggling my life today and I have at least two or three hours of work to do yet and dinner to make.  I don't want to!  And tomorrow I will do it all again.  And again.  And again.

I am busy!! Yes!  I am home!  but I am BUSY!!!  I work!  Hard!!  I am not sitting on the couch eating bonbons with my feet up!!  Give me a break.  Call in the evening.  Manage your own problems.  Don't make problems where there aren't any.  Don't call me to gripe about something I can't fix.  Don't assume that "dropping in" is okay in the middle of the day because I "don't work".  If you only knew.