Hi Ho Hi Ho it's back to work and University I go!

A subversive picture of me taken by one of my students (ahem Coral!)

It has often been said 'I must be mad'.
Most times I laugh it off, this time however I actually do believe it.
Back to University!
And work
And the expanding charity
And the two huge projects I am finishing
AND THE CHILDREN
And everything else.........

I was thrilled after precisely one week of unemployment to be offered a job.
I resigned from my last one, with nothing in the pipe line, which was quite a leap of faith, but one that had to be done. I wasn't happy and life is simply too short to waste so much time and energy on something that is not for you, and this most defiantly, was NOT!

Then after the relief came the guilt.
How on earth are we going to make ends meet.
Our budget stretches a multitude of ways, and we make it meet endless things but there's a limit, and without me working, we were well over the limit, without, that is cutting all the extras (the kids activities mainly).
Also, although I loved the long days with just me and the twins, I did feel guilty at Simon having to work every day ,I couldn't just sit there and enjoy myself knowing how hard he works, so I spent the time manically tidying and organising things so I could in some way justify my time at home.
Much as it pains me to admit it , I am not 'mother earth'. Try as I might to appear this way, inside, I like to work. Ouch, I have admitted it. The working mother's dilemma. I enjoy my job (well, until the last one that is!) and I actually think I am a better mother and person for going out to work (part time).

So when the phone went as I was walking around the zoo, sad as I was to think of leaving my babies for a whole two days, I was also over the moon as well, as I am back doing one of the jobs I most enjoy, the Introduction to Teaching Assistants on the community. Susie has kindly offered to take her day off work on a Monday to have the babies and they will return on Fridays to our wonderful childminder, Lizzy. We have to sit down and work out who drops off who and when like a military operation and colour code this on our phones so we all know where we are going, but now it's all planned and nearly ready to roll again.

In an extreme moment of complete madness over the summer, I signed up for my Master's Degree in Early Childhood. I was quite amazed to be accepted. It was a hard choice, I would have loved to do the fine art but would have had to lock myself in the study for three years to complete the work, I really was very interested in Religion and the modern world, but I could not use this to further my career, where as I lecture in Childcare and early years/child development so this was the most logical choice.

27 years after leaving Chester University, I returned on Saturday morning to enrol, or so I thought. I was treated to not just enrolment but a whole spectrum of how to study at master's level as well as packed off on an hour long study/research task with another group of students. Talk about throwing you in the deep end. It was really enjoyable to have to use my brain again and I was totally absorbed, until I was brought down to earth and given the booklist for the first module. If God could create another 12 hours in every day, I think I would just about be okay, as it stands, it's debatable!

So there we are.
I may not be able to write my blog quite as much, I am sure there will be a few more cobwebs appearing in the house, and some of my projects will have to further go on hold, but I am determined to somehow work it all into our lives.

To be continued.................